After the collapse of the USSR, a number of political and geopolitical disputes arose between Russia and Ukraine, primarily concerning the ownership of Crimea, Sevastopol, and the Soviet Army deployed on the Black Sea coast. Serious economic problems also surfaced, in particular the issue of energy supply of individual European states, due to the fact that most of the gas and oil pipelines from Russia to Europe were laid through the territory of Ukraine. To resolve these and other disputes, countries needed to urgently establish diplomatic relations.
History of diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia
The beginning of diplomatic relations between the former fraternal republics was laid in August 1991, when the first diplomatic mission was sent to Moscow from Kiev . It was headed by the Plenipotentiary Representative of Ukraine in Russia V.P. Kryzhanovsky, who will subsequently become the first Ambassador Extraordinary.
In February 1992, in Minsk, the Russian Federation and Ukraine signed a bilateral protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations, providing for the development of cultural, political and economic ties between the two countries, as well as the expansion of friendly relations between their peoples and citizens. After signing the protocol in the same year, the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow began its official activities.
Ambassadors of Ukraine to Russia
Since 1991, the Embassy has been led by seven Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors:
- from August 1991 to September 1994 - Kryzhanovsky V.P .;
- from January 1995 to November 1999 - Fedorov V.G .;
- from December 1999 to December 2005 - N. Beloblotsky;
- from April 2006 to April 2008 - Demin O.A .;
- from June 2008 to March 2010 - K. Grishchenko;
- from July 2010 to the present - Elchenko V.Yu.
Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow: address, contacts, schedule
The diplomatic mission of Ukraine in the Russian Federation is located at: 125009, Moscow, per. Leontievsky, 18.
Official site: russia.mfa.gov.ua.
Contact phones: 00 7495 - 629 46 42; 629 35 42.
The Ukrainian Embassy is open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00, a break from 13:00 to 14:00.
Embassy building
The office building of the mission is a historical building on the foundations of the mid-18th century, which until the 1880s had the appearance of a mansion in an empire style. In the 1880-1890s, the building was reconstructed specifically for the new owner - Count Alexei Uvarov, a famous Russian archaeologist and historian, grandson of the last hetman of the Zaporizhzhya Army. As a result of perestroika, carried out by architects Bykovsky K.M. and Soloviev S.U., the building received a new look and noble eclectic decor. In 1919, the building was partially destroyed due to the bombing planted by the anarchists, but in 1922 it was restored by the architect Mayat V.M.
Embassy structure
The Ukrainian embassy in Russia has 9 main special and internal divisions:
- the Consular Section;
- apparatus of military attaches;
- foreign policy service;
- domestic policy service;
- information work section;
- department for military-technical and scientific-technical cooperation;
- department for cultural and humanitarian cooperation and information work;
- office;
- administrative service.
The Ukrainian Embassy has about 20 diplomats of various ranks: military attaches, consuls, advisers, secretaries.
Consular district of the embassy
According to official census data of the Russian Federation conducted in 2010, 1.95 million ethnic Ukrainians live in Russia, or 1.35% of the total population. According to unofficial information, about 3 million immigrants from Ukraine live in the Russian Federation. The largest number of Ukrainians live in Moscow and the region, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar Territory, Voronezh, Rostov and Tyumen regions.
In order to protect the interests of citizens of Ukraine, to provide them with international legal assistance, as well as to promote the development of political, trade and scientific relations between the two neighboring states, Ukrainian consulates function in Russia.
The Ukrainian embassy in Moscow in its structure has a consular department serving the district, which covers the Republic of Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Komi, Mari El, Mordovia, Tatarstan, Tuva, Khakassia, Udmurtia and Chuvash Republic, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Irkutsk, Kaluga, Kirov, Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Perm, Ryazan, Saratov, Samara, Smolensk, Tver, Tambov, Tula, Yaroslavl regions, as well as Agins s Buryat, Koryak, Komi-Perm, Taimyr, Evenk, Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug.
In the Russian Federation, taking into account the size of the territory occupied by the country, Consulate Generals also work in Vladivostok, Rostov-on-Don, Tyumen, and St. Petersburg.
What will happen next with the diplomatic mission of Ukraine?
Despite the recent events in Ukraine and the aggravation of relations with Russia, the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow continues to operate. In March of this year, the Ambassador Extraordinary of Ukraine to the Russian Federation Elchenko V.Yu. He was temporarily recalled from the embassy for consultations on the situation on the Crimean peninsula.
After the defeat of
the Russian Embassy in Kiev in June 2014, retaliatory actions took place near the building of the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow. Today, the embassies of Ukraine and Russia are being heavily guarded to avoid new riots and to ensure the safety of members of diplomatic missions.
Currently, Ukraine is considering the complete cessation of diplomatic relations with Russia, however, as the deputy head of the Ukrainian Parliament, Valery Chaly, noted, the Ukrainian authorities are carefully studying the possible consequences of such a political step. One way or another, no matter what the politicians decide, the fraternal peoples of Russia and Ukraine will continue to maintain relations. Moreover, many citizens of these countries are related by family ties.