The ambassador of Russia to Spain is the official representative of the president and the government of the Russian Federation to the king and the government of Spain.
The ambassador and his staff work at large in the Russian embassy in Madrid. There is a consulate-general in Barcelona, and honorary consuls in Seville, Burgos, Valencia, and Vigo, as well as in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. The current Russian ambassador to Spain is , incumbent since 18 November 2022. Since 1995, the ambassador to Spain has had dual accreditation to Andorra, where an honorary consul is based in Andorra la Vella.
History of diplomatic relations
Formal diplomatic relations between Spain and Russia date back to the early eighteenth century and the establishment of the Russian Empire in 1721. Peter Bredal led a diplomatic mission to Spain that year on behalf of Tsar Peter the Great, and in July 1722, diplomatic relations were officially established, and a Russian diplomatic mission was opened in Madrid. The first ambassador, , was appointed on 22 April 1722. Diplomatic relations were broken off several times, the first being by Spain in 1730, as part of maneuvers to more closely align with France. The two countries were on opposite sides during the War of the Polish Succession between 1733 and 1735, and the War of the Austrian Succession between 1740 and 1748. Diplomatic relations were only fully restored in 1759, with appointed envoy on 4 July 1760. The exchange of envoys continued thereafter until they were once more broken off by Spain on 15 July 1799, by which time Spain was now allied with the French First Republic, and Russia entered the War of the Second Coalition against France and its allies. Relations were restored on 14 May 1802, following the signing of the Treaty of Amiens. They continued during much of the Napoleonic Wars, until 20 September 1812, following the start of the French invasion of Russia in 1812. New ambassadors were once more appointed following the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815 and the dismantling of his empire. A further break, this time by Russia, took place in 1835, but relations were restored in 1856. In 1899 the mission was upgraded to an embassy. Relations were maintained following the February Revolution brought the end of the Russian Empire and the establishment of the Russian Provisional Government, but were broken off after the October Revolution and the Bolshevik seizure of power.
Diplomatic relations remained broken until 28 June 1933, when the Soviet Union established relations with the Second Spanish Republic. The Soviet Union supported the Republican side against the Nationalists during Spanish Civil War, until the Republicans' ultimate defeat in 1939. Spain was ruled thereafter by a right-wing dictatorship led by Francisco Franco. Diplomatic relations were only restored after Franco's death in 1975, and the Spanish transition to democracy by 1977. The exchange of ambassadors resumed with the appointment of on 19 February 1977. Exchange of ambassadors continued throughout the rest of the existence of the Soviet Union. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Spain recognised the Russian Federation as its successor state. Igor Ivanov represented Russia until 1994, and since then ambassadors have continued to be exchanged between the two countries. On 13 June 1995, diplomatic relations were established between Russia and Andorra, with the incumbent ambassador to Spain appointed concurrently to Andorra, an arrangement that has since continued.
List of representatives of Russia to Spain (1721–present) Russian Empire to Spain (1721–1917) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesPeter BredalHead of mission17211721Envoy22 April 172212 February 1726Envoy12 February 172620 April 1730Diplomatic relations interrupted (1730-1759)Envoy17421743Did not present credentialsEnvoy4 July 176023 January 1763Pyotr ButurlinEnvoy23 January 176313 January 1766Nikolai KhotinskyChargé d'affairesJune 1765August 1767Otto Magnus von StackelbergEnvoy13 January 17666 August 1772 Chargé d'affairesMay 177121 May 1773 Envoy8 September 17721 May 1792 Nikolai ByutsovChargé d'affairesJune 179215 July 1799Envoy17941797Johann Matthias von SimolinEnvoy17981799Did not travel to SpainWar of the Second Coalition - Diplomatic relations interrupted (1799-1802)Ivan Muravyov-ApostolMinister Plenipotentiary23 January 180217 April 1805Minister Plenipotentiary18 April 18054 February 1810Nikolai Repnin-VolkonskyMinister Plenipotentiary12 February 181011 April 1811Pavel MorenheimChargé d'affaires11 April 181120 September 1812French invasion of Russia, War of the Sixth Coalition, Hundred Days - Diplomatic relations interrupted (1812-1815)Dmitry TatishchevEnvoy15 September 181523 July 1821Mark BulgariChargé d'affaires23 July 1821 5 April 1824Envoy5 April 182430 May 1835Diplomatic relations interrupted (1835-1856)Envoy5 December 185617 March 1860Ernst von StackelbergEnvoy4 February 186111 August 1862Envoy11 August 18621 January 1870Kristian KudryavskyEnvoy3 April 18718 December 1878 Mikhail GorchakovEnvoy11 January 187926 January 1896Envoy before 1899Ambassador after 18999 February 1896 1 January 1905Arthur CassiniAmbassador1 January 19051909Ambassador19091916Ambassador1916 3 March 1917
Russian Provisional Government to Spain (1917) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassadorMarch 1917April 1917AmbassadorApril 1917July 1917Mikhail StakhovichAmbassadorJuly 191726 October 1917
Soviet Union to the Second Spanish Republic (1933–1939) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAnatoly LunacharskyPlenipotentiary representative20 August 193326 December 1933Marcel RosenbergPlenipotentiary representative28 August 193619 February 1937Credentials presented on 31 August 1936 Leon GaikisPlenipotentiary representative19 February 193717 June 1937Credentials presented on 16 March 1937Chargé d'affaires1937March 1939Francoist Spain - Diplomatic relations interrupted (1939-1977)
Soviet Union to the Kingdom of Spain (1977–1991) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesAmbassador19 February 19779 October 1978Credentials presented on 16 March 1977Yuri DubininAmbassador9 October 1978 24 April 1986 Credentials presented on 26 October 1978Ambassador24 April 198625 December 1991
Russian Federation to Spain (1991–present) NameTitleAppointmentTerminationNotesIgor IvanovAmbassador25 December 19915 July 1994 Ambassador13 September 199420 October 1999Ambassador20 October 199930 April 2002Ambassador30 April 20029 June 2005Ambassador9 June 200520 February 2012 Credentials presented on 26 September 2005Ambassador20 February 2012 18 November 2022Credentials presented on 13 June 2012Ambassador18 November 2022Credentials presented on 20 April 2023
References