List of ambassadors of Russia and the Soviet Union to Afghanistan

The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Afghanistan is the official representative of the president and the government of the Russian Federation to Afghanistan.

The ambassador and his staff work at large in the Embassy of Russia in Kabul. The post of Russian ambassador to Afghanistan is currently held by Dmitry Zhirnov, incumbent since 29 April 2020.

History of diplomatic relations

The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic provided unofficial assistance to the Emirate of Afghanistan during the Third Anglo-Afghan War, helping the country to achieve full independence from British influence. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was also the first country to recognize and established diplomatic relations with Afghanistan in 1919. Yakov Surits, a former diplomatic representative to Denmark, was appointed plenipotentiary to Afghanistan. On 23 July 1923 relations established at the level of embassies.

From 1992 to 2002, during the years of Taliban rule, diplomatic relations were broken off and no ambassadors were appointed.

List of representatives (1919–present) Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Emirate of Afghanistan (1919–1922) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesYakov SuritsPlenipotentiary 13 July 19191921Fyodor RaskolnikovPlenipotentiary 16 July 1921 1922

Soviet Union to the Emirate of Afghanistan (1922–1926) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesFyodor RaskolnikovPlenipotentiary 19226 February 1924Leonid StarkPlenipotentiary 22 April 19241926

Soviet Union to the Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1973) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesLeonid StarkPlenipotentiary 192616 April 1936Plenipotentiary 16 April 19361 November 1937Plenipotentiary (until 9 May 1941)Ambassador (after 9 May 1941)24 December 19371 September 1943Ambassador11 November 194323 June 1947Ivan SamylovskyAmbassador23 June 194727 May 1948Ambassador27 May 194811 July 1948Ambassador6 November 194810 July 1953Ambassador10 July 19535 June 1960Ambassador5 June 19608 October 1965Ambassador8 October 196511 November 1969Ambassador11 November 19693 October 1972Alexander PuzanovAmbassador3 October 19721973

Soviet Union to the Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAlexander PuzanovAmbassador19731978

Soviet Union to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1991) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAlexander PuzanovAmbassador197810 November 1979Ambassador10 November 197913 August 1986Ambassador13 August 198615 March 1988Ambassador15 March 198814 October 1988Yuli VorontsovAmbassador14 October 198815 September 1989Boris PastukhovAmbassador15 September 198925 December 1991

Russian Federation to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1991–1992) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesBoris PastukhovAmbassador25 December 199122 February 1992Ambassador24 January 199231 December 1992

Russian Federation to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2002–present) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador21 February 200217 February 2004Zamir KabulovAmbassador17 February 200421 September 2009Ambassador21 September 20091 September 2014Ambassador18 November 201429 April 2020Dmitry ZhirnovAmbassador29 April 2020

References

External links Embassy of Russia to Afghanistan Полномочное представительство - Посольство СССР в Афганистане