The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Libya is the official representative of the president and the government of the Russian Federation to the president and the government of Libya.
The ambassador and his staff work at large in the Embassy of Russia in Tripoli. The post of Russian ambassador to Libya is currently held by Aydar Aganin, incumbent since 29 December 2022.
History of diplomatic relations
The Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Libya on 4 September 1955. The first ambassador, , was appointed on 15 December 1955. Following the 1969 Libyan revolution, which overthrew the king and brought Muammar Gaddafi to power on 1 September 1969, the Soviet Union recognised the Libyan Arab Republic on 4 September. Relations were maintained through several changes of name, to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1977, and the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1986. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Libya recognised the Russian Federation as its successor state, and the incumbent Soviet ambassador, , continued in post as the Russian ambassador until 1992.
Russia maintained a diplomatic presence during the Libyan civil war which broke out in 2011, but the subsequent outbreak of factional violence made the security situation untenable. The Russian embassy was attacked on 2 October 2013, and the following day all of its staff were evacuated to Tunis. The ambassador, , remained nominally in post until 2018, but thereafter diplomatic affairs were handled through the Russian embassy in Tunis, with a temporary chargé d'affaires heading up the mission between 2018 and 2023. With the stabilising of the security situation by the early 2020s, Russia reopened its embassy in Tripoli in August 2023, with Aydar Aganin appointed as the new ambassador on 29 December 2022. Plans were also announced to reopen the consulate in Benghazi, but have been delayed until an agreement can be reached with the Government of National Stability, which controls eastern Libya.
List of representatives (1955–present) Soviet Union to the Kingdom of Libya (1955–1969) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador15 December 195518 October 1959Presented credentials on 13 January 1956Ambassador18 October 19596 April 1965Presented credentials on 5 November 1959Suren TovmasyanAmbassador6 April 19651 September 1969Presented credentials on 10 May 1965
Soviet Union to the Libyan Arab Republic (1969–1991) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesSuren TovmasyanAmbassador1 September 196914 February 1970Ambassador14 February 197031 August 1977Presented credentials on 11 March 1970Ambassador31 August 19774 September 1984Presented credentials on 5 November 1977 Ambassador4 September 198419 September 1986Presented credentials on 18 October 1984 Ambassador19 September 198618 March 1991Ambassador18 March 199125 December 1991
Russian Federation to the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1991–2011) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador25 December 199131 December 1992Ambassador31 December 199223 August 1996Ambassador23 August 199626 December 2000Sergei KirpichenkoAmbassador26 December 200013 February 2004Valerian ShuvaevAmbassador13 February 200416 October 2008Ambassador16 October 200819 March 2011
Russian Federation to the State of Libya (2011–present) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador30 January 201226 November 2018Left Libya on 3 October 2013Diplomatic affairs handled through the embassy in TunisDzhamshed BoltayevChargé d'affairesNovember 2018March 2023 Based at the embassy in TunisAydar AganinAmbassador29 December 2022 Presented credentials on 26 June 2023
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