Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)

The structure of the Russian MFA central office includes divisions, which are referred to as departments. Departments are divided into sections. Russian MFA Departments are headed by Directors and their sections by Heads. According to Presidential Decree 1163 of 11 September 2007, the Ministry is divided into 39 departments. Departments are divided into territorial (relations between Russia and foreign countries, grouped according to conventional regions) and functional (according to assigned functions). Each department employs 30-60 diplomats. In addition, there are four divisions under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia: the Main Production and Commercial Department for servicing the diplomatic staff under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, the Foreign Ministry College and the Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation. Outside the departmental structure, there are Ambassadors for special assignments, each responsible for a particular issue of international relations (for example, the Georgian-Abkhaz settlement). The ambassadors for special assignments report directly to the deputy ministers. == Functioning ==

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a federal executive authority responsible for the development and implementation of state policy and normative-legal regulation in the field of international relations of the Russian Federation The President of the Russian Federation is the head of the Foreign Ministry. The main function of the ministry is to develop an overall foreign policy strategy, submit relevant proposals to the President and implement the foreign policy course. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates directly and through diplomatic representations and consular offices of the Russian Federation, representations of the Russian Federation to international organisations, and territorial offices of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the territory of Russia. The MFA system includes the central office; foreign institutions; territorial offices; organisations subordinate to the MFA of Russia, which ensures its work on Russian territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is guided by the Constitution, federal constitutional laws, federal laws, acts of the President and the Government, and international treaties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is appointed to the post by the President on the proposal of the Prime Minister. The Minister is personally responsible for the implementation of the powers entrusted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the implementation of state policy in the relevant area of work. The Minister has deputies, also appointed by the President. Minister of Foreign Affairs The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the head of the Foreign Ministry. The Minister represents Russia in bilateral and multilateral negotiations and signs international treaties; divides responsibilities between his deputies and the Director-General; approves regulations for the structural subdivisions of the central apparatus; and appoints senior officials from the central apparatus, foreign agencies and territorial bodies. Russia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations The Permanent Mission of Russia to the United Nations is one of the most important foreign offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Permanent Mission conducts negotiations on behalf of the Russian Federation on the most important problems of international relations. The Representative Office is headed by the Permanent Representative appointed by the President on the proposal of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Permanent Representative represents Russia in all UN structures, including meetings of the Security Council. In special cases, the Minister for Foreign Affairs himself may take his place. In terms of the number of staff, the Russian mission is one of the largest at the UN. There is even a secondary school with a profound study of English. == List of heads ==

The ministry operates a network of overseas schools for children of Russian diplomats. ==First Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation==

Current First Deputy Foreign Minister • Sergei Butin (since 17 August 2024) ==Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation==

Current Deputy Foreign Ministers • (5 October 2017 – present) :* (State-Secretary; relations with CIS countries, relations with other state bodies) • Sergei Ryabkov (15 August 2008 – present) :* (relations with American countries and security and disarmament issues) • (23 October 2017 – present) :* (relations with European organizations, countries of Western and Southern Europe) • Alexander Grushko (6 September 2005 – 23 October 2012; 22 January 2018 – present) :*(relations with European countries, the EU, the OSCE, NATO and the Council of Europe) • (27 March 2018 – present) • (19 September 2019 – present) :*(relations with Asian countries) • (25 November 2022 – present) :*(relations with CIS countries) • (18 August 2025 – present) :*(relations with Central and Eastern European countries, human rights issues and countering new challenges and threats) ==General Directors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation==

Current General Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs • Alexey Ostrovsky (5 February 2024 – present) ==Gallery==

File:RIAN archive 569857 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a reception on Diplomat Day.jpg|(From right:) Minister Sergei Lavrov with former ministers Yevgeny Primakov and Igor Ivanov. File:Jubcoin 2002 10rub ministerstvoinostrannihdel revers.jpg|Bank of Russia's 10-ruble commemorative coin: "200th Anniversary of Founding the Ministries in Russia" File:Russia stamp 2022 № 2951.jpg|Russian Post's commemorative stamp of the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation” from 2022 File:Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russia-2.jpg|Headquarters in Moscow == See also ==