New Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov presents copies of his credentials to the Belarusian Foreign Minister

January 31, BPN. The new Russian ambassador Boris Gryzlov has arrived in Minsk. On January 31, he presented the copies of his credentials to Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makiej, the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry reports.

“Makiej congratulated the Russian Ambassador on the start of his diplomatic mission in our country and expressed his hope for the active work to further strengthen the comprehensive relations between Minsk and Moscow,” the message reads. “During the meeting the sides discussed important issues of Belarusian-Russian cooperation, as well as cooperation in the framework of integration associations.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed 71-year-old Gryzlov as the new ambassador to Belarus on January 14. Belarusian Foreign Ministry approved his candidacy a day before the official appointment.

Prior to this appointment, Gryzlov served as Russia’s envoy in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Tactical Missiles Corporation.

Since 2018, he has been heading the expert council of United Russia – an advisory body created for expert support of the party’s activities, including ideological, informational, and electoral work.

Gryzlov holds a PhD in political science. In 2001, he defended his thesis “Political Parties and Russian Transformations: Theory and Political Practice.”

Gryzlov graduated from the Bonch-Bruevich Saint-Petersburg State University of Telecommunications with a degree in radio engineering. After having worked as an engineer, in 1996-98, he became the founder of the Institute for Accelerated Training of Managers, the Central Institute of Urban Economy, and the Career Center.

In 1999-2000, Gryzlov worked as the head of the interregional business cooperation fund “Development of Regions.” He stood at the origins of the United Russia party. Gryzlov had been repeatedly elected a deputy of the State Duma.

Between March 2001 and December 2003, he served as the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the government of Mikhail Kasyanov, having been the first civilian head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In 2004-2012, Gryzlov served as the chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, in 2005-2007 – as the chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Eurasian Economic Community, in 2007-2012 – as the chair of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly.

Since March 2021, the Russian ambassador to Belarus has been Evgeny Lukyanov. He was preceded by Dmitry Mezentsev since April 2019.