Anatoly Antonov
Introduction
Anatoly Ivanovich Antonov (Russian: Анато́лий Ива́нович Анто́нов; IPA: [ɐnɐˈtolʲɪj ɪˈvanəvʲɪt͡ɕ ɐnˈtonəf]) is a Russian politician, military officer and diplomat. He is currently the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and previously, he was Deputy Minister of Defence. In May 2017, he was approved to replace Sergey Kislyak as the next Russian Ambassador to the United States.
Since 2015, Antonov has been under European Union sanctions in response to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.
Early life and education
Antonov was born on 15 May 1955 in Omsk, USSR. He graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1983.
Career
For 30 years, Antonov worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2004, he became the Director of the Department for Security and Disarmament at the same place. On 2 February 2011, he was promoted by a Presidential Decree to become Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
As Deputy Minister of Defense, he was personally sanctioned by the European Union following Russia's military intervention in Ukraine. He had accused NATO in December 2014 of turning Ukraine into a "frontline of confrontation" with Russia.
On 28 December 2016, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In March 2017, he was named as one of the candidates for the post of Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, after the death of Vitaly Churkin. However, in the end, it was decided to appoint Vasily Nebenzya to this post.
Ambassador to the United States
Nomination and confirmation
Antonov is considered a hardliner against the West, earning him a reputation as a "bull terrier." In early autumn 2016, he was considered for the post Russian Ambassador to the United States as the Kremlin assumed that Hillary Clinton would win the presidential election and, therefore, bilateral relations would remain strained. However, despite the fact that Donald Trump won the election, Antonov was still chosen to take over the post from Sergey Kislyak, who had been the ambassador since 2008. In February 2017, Antonov was named the main candidate for this post. On 11 May 2017, the Russian Foreign Ministry formally submitted Antonov to the Federal Assembly, which approved him on 18 May following a closed session of the State Duma's foreign policy committee.
| Confirmation Process | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Voting Body | Vote Date | Vote Results | |
| State Duma | Committee on Foreign Affairs | 15 – 19 May 2017 | |
| Full | |||
| Federation Council | Committee on Foreign Affairs | 22 – 26 May 2017 | |
| Full | |||
Awards
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV class
- Order of Alexander Nevsky
- Order of Military Merit
- Order of Honour (twice)
- Order of Friendship
- Medal "For the Return of Crimea"
- Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
- Medal "For strengthening combat Commonwealth"
- Medal "For distinction in military service" I class
- Medal "For distinction in military service" II class
- Medal "For distinction in military service" III class