Eleonora Mitrofanova

Eleonora Valentinovna Mitrofanova (Russian: Элеонора Валентиновна Митрофанова; born 11 June 1953) is a Russian politician and diplomat. She currently serves as the Ambassador of Russia to Bulgaria, having held the post since 15 January 2021. She was previously ambassador-at-large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a Permanent Delegate of to UNESCO (2009–2016). She was the first woman to hold the post of First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary[1][2]
Eleonora Mitrofanova
Ambassador of Russia to Bulgaria
Assumed office
15 January 2021
Preceded byAnatoly Makarov
Head of Rossotrudnichestvo
In office
19 December 2017 – 25 June 2020
Preceded byLyubov Glebova
Succeeded byYevgeny Primakov Jr.
Permanent Delegate of Russia to UNESCO
In office
29 January 2009 – 19 September 2016
Preceded byVladimir Kalamanov
Succeeded byAlexandre Kouznetsov[3]
Head of Roszarubezhcenter
In office
August 2004 – 17 October 2008
Preceded byValentina Tereshkova
Succeeded byFarit Mukhametshin
(as head of Rossotrudnichestvo)
Personal details
Born (1953-06-11) 11 June 1953
Stalingrad, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Spouse(s)Vladimir Tyrtychnikov
ChildrenMaria, Andrei, Fiodor
Alma materMoscow State Institute of
International Relations

Early life and career

A graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, specializing in International economics. In May 2003, President Vladimir Putin appointed Mitrofanova by decree[4] to the post of the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. After the abolition of the Russian Ministry of Affairs of Federation and Nationalities her mandate included also the activities of the Roszaroubezhcentre of the MFA. On 15 January 2021 she was appointed Ambassador of Russia to Bulgaria.[5]

Personal life

She is married and is the mother of three children. Her brother Alexei Mitrofanov is a politician and former MP. Outside of Russian, she is fluent in English, Spanish and French.

Controversies

As a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Russian government's response to it in Bulgaria, in late March 2022, Mitrofonova was criticized for making "undiplomatic, sharp and rude" statements against the Bulgarian government and its citizens.[6]

In April 2022, Mitrofonova proceeded to harshly criticize an initiative of the Bulgarian citizens and government to rename the alley in front of the Russian Embassy as 'Heroes Of Ukraine' Lane, and a neighboring alley to be renamed to Boris Nemtsov Lane, in commemoration of the infamously slain Russian opposition figure.[7]

As a result of the controversies, there have been widespread talks about declaring Mitrofonova as persona-non-grata, due to the abrasive, disrespectful and undiplomatic nature in which she has addressed the Bulgarian government and citizens.

Decorations

References
  1. Дипломаты в ранге Чрезвычайного и Полномочного Посла. Официальный веб-сайт МИД России
  2. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 9 февраля 2010 года № 167 «О присвоении Митрофановой Э. В. дипломатического ранга Чрезвычайного и Полномочного Посла»". Archived from the original on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
  3. "Délégation permanente de la Fédération de Russie auprès de l'Unesco". russianunesco.ru.
  4. "Президент своим Указом назначил Элеонору Митрофанову первым заместителем Министра иностранных дел". Президент России.
  5. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 15.01.2021 № 24 "О Чрезвычайном и Полномочном После Российской Федерации в Республике Болгарии"". 15 January 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  6. "Bulgaria to recall its ambassador to Russia for consultations". euronews. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  7. "The Russian Ambassador in Bulgaria was not pleased with the name changes around the Embassy - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency". www.novinite.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  8. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 11.04.2003 г. № 416". Президент России.
  9. "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 13.09.2013 г. № 718". kremlin.ru.
  10. Лавров вручил представителю РФ при ЮНЕСКО Митрофановой орден Почета, РИА Новости. 21.04.2014
  11. "Главная | Российская академия бизнеса и предпринимательства". ex.ru.
  12. Элеоноре Митрофановой вручен орден «Дуслык»
  13. "Высокая церковная награда — Элеоноре Митрофановой".
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