The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Chile is the official representative of the president and the government of the Russian Federation to the president and the government of Chile.
The Russian ambassador and his staff work at large in the Embassy of Russia in Santiago. The post of Russian ambassador to Chile is currently held by , incumbent since 28 June 2024.
History of diplomatic relations
Diplomatic contacts between Chile and Russia date back to the early nineteenth century, during the Chilean War of Independence which began in 1810. Captain Otto von Kotzebue, then carrying out a circumnavigation of the world aboard the brig visited the port of Talcahuano and the city of Concepción in 1816. Baron Anatoly de Kister was assigned for a time as chargé d'affaires in 1895, with the first plenipotentiary envoy, , appointed in 1909. Augusto Matte Pérez was in turn appointed by Chile as the representative to the Russian Empire. Relations at this time were by representatives with dual accreditation, and affairs with Chile were handled by the Russian ambassador to Brazil. With the February Revolution in Russia in 1917, diplomatic relations were maintained with the new Russian Provisional Government, but ended shortly after the October Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power. Diplomatic relations would not be restored until late in the Second World War.
Relations between Chile and what was by now the Soviet Union were officially restored on 11 December 1944. A new ambassador, , was appointed on 5 September 1945, but the warmer relations were short-lived. The Radical Party of Chile had won the 1946 Chilean presidential election with the support of the Communist Party of Chile, bringing Gabriel González Videla to power as president of Chile. Relations between the parties soon soured. Videla moved to break off relations with the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries on 21 October 1947, and with the Law of Permanent Defense of Democracy, banned the Communist Party of Chile. Relations remained broken for nearly twenty years. Relations improved with the victory in the 1964 Chilean presidential election of reformist-minded Eduardo Frei Montalva, and diplomatic relations were restored on 24 October 1964. The embassy in Santiago was reopened, as was a cultural centre, and was appointed as Soviet ambassador. Relations continued to be positive under Frei Montalva's successor, Salvador Allende, but Allende was overthrown in the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, bringing right-wing dictator Augusto Pinochet to power. The Soviet Union withdrew its representatives in protest, and relations were once more broken off.
Chile was ruled as a military dictatorship for the next decade and a half, with the military regime ending after the 1989 Chilean general election. Now restored to democracy, relations with the Soviet Union were restored on 11 March 1990. The dissolution of the Soviet Union occurred in 1991, and Chile recognised Russia as its successor state. Diplomatic representatives have continued to be exchanged between the two countries since then.
List of representatives (1909–present) Russian Empire to Chile (1909–1917) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesEnvoy22 January 1909 1909Credentials presented on 22 January 1909Concurrently representative to BrazilEnvoy19101915Concurrently representative to BrazilEnvoy19161917Concurrently representative to Brazil
Russian Provisional Government to Chile (1917) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesEnvoy191726 November 1917 Concurrently representative to Brazil
Soviet Union to Chile (1945–1991) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador5 September 194521 October 1947Credentials presented on 26 April 1946Diplomatic relations interrupted (1947 - 1964)Ambassador29 January 1965 19 February 1968Credentials presented on 5 March 1965Ambassador19 February 196828 March 1971Credentials presented on 3 April 1968Ambassador28 March 197122 September 1973Credentials presented on 15 June 1971Military dictatorship - Diplomatic relations interrupted (1973 - 1990)Ambassador23 August 1990 October 1991
Russian Federation to Chile (1992–present) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesVitaly ChurkinAmbassador27 March 19927 July 1992Appointment rescinded before credentials presentedAmbassador13 August 19925 June 1996Ambassador5 June 199612 August 2000Ambassador12 August 200029 March 2005Yury FilatovAmbassador3 June 20058 June 2011 Ambassador26 July 2011 17 December 2015Ambassador17 December 20155 October 2020Ambassador5 October 202028 June 2024Ambassador28 June 2024Credentials presented on 6 November 2024
References