Vladislav Surkov

Former Assistant to the President

General Biographical Information 

• According to his official biographical data, Vladislav Surkov was born on September 21, 1964 in the village of Solntsevo, Lipetski District, RSFSR, USSR. According to other data, Surkov (or Aslambek Dudaev) was born in 1962 in the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous SSR, in the village of Duba Yurt. In 2005, Surkov did state in one of the interviews that his father was indeed Chechen and he spent first five years of his life in Chechnya.
• In 1981, after graduating from school, Surkov enrolled in Moscow Ferroalloy Institute, which he did not graduate.
• According to his official bio, from 1983 to 1985 he served in the artillery unit of the Soviet Army in Hungary. However, the Minister of Defense of Russia, Sergey Ivanov, stated in 2006 that Surkov served in the Special Forces Unit of the Central Intelligence Division at that time.
• After completing the military service, he studied at the Moscow Cultural Institute on the specialty of Theatrical Director, which he did not graduate either.
• In the 1990s, he obtained a master’s degree in economic sciences at the International University.

Professional Career

• In 1987, Surkov started working with Mikhail Khodorkovsky. From 1991 to 1996, Surkov worked at Khodorkovsky’s united credit and finances enterprise Menatep, later Bank Menatep, Heading the Client Relations and Advertisement Division there.
• In 1996-1997, he headed the Public Relations Department at Rosprom.
• In 1997, Surkov moved from Khodorkovsky to Mikhail Freedman’s Alpha Bank, where he became the Deputy Chairman of the Managing Council.
• In 1998-1999, Surkov was the First Deputy Director and Director of Public Relations at Russian Public Broadcaster (ОРТ). According to the information disseminated in the media, Boris Berezovsky invited Surkov to the television.
• From 1999 to 2011, Surkov was the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration and Kremlin’s main ideologist. He is the main ideologist and creator of the Russian political system, which is often referred to as a “Sovereign/”Managed” democracy. His important political projects include the organization of Unity electoral block in 1999 and Homeland block in 2003. He also oversaw the party construction of United Russia (2003) and Just Russia (2006). Surkov’s power reached its peak in 2008-2012, when Dimitri Medvedev was the President of Russia.
• In 2011-2013, Surkov held the position of Vice Prime Minister. On 8 May, 2013, he resigned from this position. According to Putin’s representative, Surkov had failed to implement Putin’s directives properly.
• On 20 September, 2013, Surkov was appointed to the position of the Assistant to President.

Curator of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region

• On 20 September, 2013, Surkov was appointed to the position of Presidential Assistant for Social-Economic Interactions with Abkhazia and “South Ossetia”. Surkov replaced Tatyana Golikova, who had worked on this position from May 23, 2012. Surkov’s appointment as the Assistant to President was connected to Russia’s desire to control Russian investments in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. Surkov’s appointment itself was assessed to be an important decision, as he is from Caucasus by origin and is well-versed in Caucasian affairs, especially those of Abkhazia, which he often visited since 2000 and is familiar with intricacies of domestic Abkhazian politics. After Surkov’s appointment as an Assistant to the President, Abkhazian and Tskhinvali Region regimes had the perception that he had once again become their curator, even though earlier, when he was Vice Prime Minister, he had been distanced from these issues. In Surkov’s absence, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali issues were curated by the Directorate for Inter-Regional Relations and Cultural Contacts with Foreign Countries and its leaders, Vladimir Chernov and Sergey Chebotarev.
• In 2018, after Putin’s another Presidency, there were a lot of talks that Surkov would leave the position of Presidential Assistant. The reason for this was stated to be Surkov’s work in terms of Donbas. There was a version that Surkov no longer wanted to work on the frozen conflict in Donbas and some were blaming Surkov for the failure of the Minsk Process. According to another version, Surkov had conflict with the 5th Division of the Federal Security Service, which was responsible for counter-intelligence work in Donbas. However, on June 13, 2018, Surkov was once again appointed to this position. 
• On January 25, 2020, Aleksey Chesnakov, Director of the Political Conjuncture Center, on his Telegram-channel announced Surkov’s resignation. According to him, „in the coming months he (Surkov) will be engaged in meditation. After which promised to explain the reason of his decision and state future plans.“  According to Chesnakov, Surkov resigned due to „course change towards the Ukraine“. Surkov resignation officially was confirmed on February 18, 2020, by the order of the President of the Russian Federation.

Relations with Abkhazia

• Soon after his appointment as Assistant to the President, on 30 September, 2013, Surkov visited Sokhumi. He attended the event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of “independence” of the Abkhazian regime, where Kazak units and Russian “peacekeepers” also participated. Surkov remained in Sokhumi for three hours only and did not attend festive dinner either. He held his first meetings with the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aleksandre Ankvab and de facto President of Tskhinvali Region, Leonid Tibilov, behind closed doors.
• Surkov’s special role in the processes in Abkhazia was revealed in May 2014, when he was one of the main personas in the political crisis taking place in Abkhazia. In order to regulate the domestic crisis in Abkhazia, Surkov visited Abkhazia on 28-29 May. During Surkov’s meeting with the opposition, Raul Khajimba and his supporters told him about their demands, including those about the resignation of the de facto President, Aleksandre Ankvab. After Surkov’s direct intervention, Aleksandre Ankvab resigned on June 1, 2014, after which Surkov welcomed the “peaceful resolution of the crisis” and vowed the continuation of Moscow’s full financial and military support to Abkhazia.
• On 16 February, 2015, during his visit to Abkhazia, Surkov promised the Abkhazian side to continue financial support and open borders. He also talked about allocating RUB 10 billion to support Abkhazia. According to his statement, an investment agency with the aim of developing Abkhazia had also been created in Russia. Surkov was also accompanied by the members of his team during this visit, including the Head of the Directorate for Social-Economic Cooperation with CIS Member States and Republics of Abkhazia and “South Ossetia”, Oleg Govorun and Head of his Apparatus, Aleksandr Pavlov.
• On July 3, 2017, Surkov paid a one-day visit to Sokhumi. Surkov held a meeting behind closed doors with the de facto President of Abkhazia, Raul Khajimba. Together with Khajimba, Surkov inspected the buildings of the National Library and 3rd Secondary School rehabilitated through the investment program for Abkhazia’s social-economic development.
• On July 31, 2019, Surkov met de facto President, Raul Khajimba in Abkhazia. At the meeting were discussed issues of implementation of Investment Program promoting socio-economic development of Abkhazia for 2017-2019 as well as parameters of Investment Program for 2020-2022. During the meeting Surkov, together with de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Valery Bganba, visited ongoing constructions in Gagra and Gudauta districts. Surkov’s visit to Abkhazia coincided with the significant period in Abkhazia in terms of its internal policy. On August 25, 2019, illegitimate parliamentary elections were scheduled in Abkhazia.
• As a result of political crisis in Abkhazia during the period of 9-12 January, 2020, de facto president Raul Khajimba resigned. Surkov and Rashid Nurgaliyev, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation actively participated in negotiation process between Khajimba and his opposition. Surkov arrived in Sokhumi on January 12. According to Aleksey Chesnakov, Director of the Political Conjuncture Center, who is close to Surkov, Surkov is "pleased with how the political crisis has settled in the fraternal state." According to Chesnakov, in Sokhumi on January 12 and 13 Surkov met with opposition leaders Aslan Bzhania, Alkhas Kvitsinia, Raul Lolua and Akhra Avidzba, Hero of so-called Donetsk People’s Republic . As for Khajimba, Surkov only had a telephone conversation with him, which soon was followed by Khajimba's resignation.

Relations with Tskhinvali Region

• Much like in Abkhazia, Surkov personally oversees the reconstruction work being undertaken in Tskhinvali Region through Russian funding and periodically visits the city. During one of his first visits to Tskhinvali in December 2013, Surkov criticized the de facto government of Tskhinvali Region. Surkov was not satisfied with the spending of Russian money. His criticism was followed by the resignation of Rostik Khugaev’s de facto government at the beginning of 2014.
• On June 23-24, 2014, Surkov inspected the on-going social and industrial projects in Tskhinvali. On December 4, 2014, during his visit to Tskhinvali, Surkov praised the de facto President and Prime Minister of Tskhinvali Region for conducting the most efficient work since 2008 war. According to the assessment of the local media, Surkov’s appointment was the factor facilitating order in Tskhinvali Region, as pre-planned rehabilitation works were finally implemented in Tskhinvali Region and the investment programs planned for 2014 were also realized.
• Surkov’s role became clear during the pre-election period of the April 9, 2017 illegitimate elections held in Tskhinvali Region, when the Presidential candidates were being selected. Former de facto President, Eduard Kokoiti, failed to register as a candidate due to the reason that he had not lived in Tskhinvali Region for the previous five years. On March 4, 2017, Kokoiti accused Surkov of orchestrating the election commission’s decision. He called Surkov a “fraudster”, who, according to his assessment, acted “as though South Ossetia belongs to him”. Kokoiti accused Surkov, the Head of the Division for Social-Economic Cooperation with CIS Member States and Republics of Abkhazia and “South Ossetia”, Oleg Govorun, and the Senior Advisor of the same Division, Aleksey Filatov, of working against him.
• On June 8-9, 2017, Surkov visited Tskhinvali, where he discussed the region’s further integration with Russia. Together with the de facto President of Tskhinvali Region, Anatoly Bibilov, Surkov also inspected the projects being implemented through Russia funding, including the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church being built in Tskhinvali. During his visit, Surkov was also accompanied by Denis Travin, Deputy Head of the Division for Social-Economic Cooperation with CIS Member States and Republics of Abkhazia and “South Ossetia”.
• On August 26, 2018, Surkov was among the guests from Russia on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Russian recognition of Tskhinvali Region’s independence. Surkov also participated in festive events.