Arbatov played a leading role in the politics of post-Soviet Russia. He was a member of the Soviet delegation to
START I negotiations, a bi-lateral treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms that was signed in 1991 between the United States and the
Soviet Union. Following the break-up of the
Soviet Union, he served for over a decade in Russia's
Federal Assembly, or parliament.
State Duma member From 1994 to 2003, he was a member of the Russian
State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, and served in on various committees. Arbatov's three terms in office spanned the first three iterations of the newly formed State Duma: • 1993–1995 – State Duma member • 1995-1995 – State Duma member, member of the Defense Committee, Chairman of the Subcommittee for International Security and Arms Limitations • 1999–2003 – State Duma member, Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee, Head of the Commission for Defense, Security and Ratification of International Treaties Arbatov initiated and/or drafted several Russian
laws during his tenure in the State Duma: • "On Civil Control and Management over Military Organization and Activity in the Russian Federation" • "On the Financing of the Strategic Nuclear Arms Forces of the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2001" • "On Amendments and Additions to the Federal Law, "On the Federal Budget for 1999"" • "On the Status of Participants in Armed Conflicts and Combatants" • "On Civil Control and Management over Military Organization and Activity in the Russian Federation" Arbatov also initiated several inquiries as a State Duma Deputy, including: • Inquiry on non-implementation of the law, "On Social Protection of Citizens Exposed to Radiation Due to the Chernobyl Disaster" and Government Resolution "On the Procedure for Providing Compensation and Concessions to Individuals Subjected to Radiation" • Inquiry regarding the failure of the government to determine a mechanism for taking the border registration fee, envisaged by the law "On the State Border" • Request for the urgent submission to the State Duma of the concept and development programs, reductions, and use of nuclear weapons and corresponding expenditures. Without these materials, it would have been impossible to prepare for ratification of
START II in 1993.
Injury in Chechnya A handful of Russia's ethnic minority-dominated regions—such as
Chechnya,
Dagestan, and
Ingushetia—saw violent activities against the Moscow government following the break-up of the Soviet Union. As a member of the State Duma's Defense Committee, Arbatov frequently traveled to these regions to assess the situations. During one such visit in 2001, Arbatov was traveling through Chechnya with Evgeny Zelenov, another State Duma member, when their Mi-8 helicopter came under a heavy machinegun fire ambush. Arbatov was injured during the attack, as were Zelenov, the aircraft's pilot, and a crew member. The pilot,
Podpolkovnik (
Lieutenant Colonel) Leonid Konstantinov, later died of his injuries.
Yabloko political party Outside of his career in the State Duma, Arbatov served as vice chairman of the Russian United Democratic Party (
Yabloko)--social liberal political party—from 2001 to 2008. Arbatov has served as a member of the Yabloko Political Committee from 2008 to the present. == Awards and honors ==