Denis Gonchar

Director of the 4th CIS Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation, the 4th CIS Department (4ДСНГ) is curating the issues of relations with Georgia and its occupied regions. The spheres of responsibility of the Department include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and after 2008, occupied regions of Georgia as well. Denis Gonchar has been the Director of the Department since April 4, 2019 and his direct responsibilities include the coordination of work conducted by Russian “Embassies” in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region and holding consultative meetings with the “Ambassadors” of the occupied regions in terms of the Foreign Policy Coordination Mechanism. 

General Biographical Information

• Denis Gonchar was born on November 9, 1973.
• In 1996 he graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
• On February 10, 2017, he was granted the diplomatic title of an Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Second Class.
• He has been awarded with the badge “For Excellency“ of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation.
• He speaks English, French and Arabic languages.

Professional Career

• From 1996 Gonchar is in diplomatic service. In different periods of time he worked in the Central Apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as abroad.
• In 2003 Gonchar was Press-Attaché at the Embassy of Russia in Georgia. In this period (2002-2006) Vladimir Chkhikvishvili was the Ambassador of Russia to Georgia. While his service in Georgia Gonchar periodically made comments on various issues:
  • On October 21, 2003, Gonchar commented on road accident involving Valery Lastovski, Military Attaché of the Embassy of Russia. Also commented on his health condition and accident investigation progress.
  • According to Gonchar, on Novemver 22, 2003, Embassy of Russia in Tbilisi applied to additional security measures in connection with the ongoing processes in Georgia. As Gonchar stated Embassy requested Georgian side to strengthen embassy building external security.
  • On December 5, 2003, Gonchar requested Georgian Government to timely investigate armed assault on Viktor Riznan, Embassy Advisor-Envoy.
• From 2007 to 2011, he was Advisor to the Permanent Representation of Russia at OSCE, Vienna, Austria.
• From 2011 to 2018, he was Chief Advisor, Advisor-Envoy at the Embassy of Russia in USA.
• During the period of July 22 – August 21, 2017, he served as acting ambassador at the Embassy of Russia in USA after Sergei Kislyak ended his tenure. Sergei Kislyak’s name is involved in investigation ongoing on allegations that Russia meddled in Presidential Elections in USA in 2016.
• In 2018-2019, upon his return from USA Gonchar was Deputy Director of the 4th CIS Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation.
• According to the Presidential Decree of April 4, 2019, Gonchar was appointed to the position of Director of the 4th CIS Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation. He replaced Aleksey Pavlovski, former Director of the Department in 2011-2019. On April 3, 2019, Pavlovski was appointed as Ambassador of Russia to Australia.

Relations with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region

• On June 20, 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia hosted consultations on foreign policy coordination. Igor Akhba, de facto Ambassador of Abkhazia to Russia and Gonchar participated in the consultancies. Discussions focused on the current issues of Abkhazia-Russia relations, the main issues of foreign policy coordination, including study of Abkhazian residents in Russia.
• On March 3, 2021, meeting between the de facto Foreign Minister of Abkhazia, Daur Kove, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, was held in Moscow. A consultation plan for 2021-2022 was signed during the meeting. Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister, and Gonchar attended meeting.
• On December 10, 2022, in his interview with the state news agency TASS, Gonchar spoke about the de facto republics of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. According to Gonchar, the de facto republics of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region are Russia's closest allies which is confirmed by the recently activated “inter-parliamentary” dialogue.
• On August 4, 2023, in an interview with the state news agency – TASS, Gonchar spoke about the occupied regions of Georgia. In the Ministry Gonchar supervises the South Caucasus direction, including the occupied regions. Key points expressed in the interview: Based on the results of the July 11-12 round of discussions in Geneva, we can conclude that the ongoing work in the format of the mentioned negotiations is returning to the usual course;   The problem of transit traffic between Russia and Armenia via Abkhazia, “South Ossetia” and Georgia is periodically discussed with Yerevan; We are preparing for the 15th anniversary of the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and “South Ossetia” by Russia; The sovereignty of Abkhazia and “South Ossetia” is not subject to revision; Russia's goal is to establish long-term alliance relations with the people of neighboring Abkhazia and “South Ossetia,” with whom we have long historical ties.
• On September 3, 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, met with the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, and the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, Inal Ardzinba, in Sochi. After the Bzhania-Lavrov meeting, Lavrov and Ardzinba signed a plan of consultations between diplomatic agencies for 2024-2025. Gonchar, his deputy, Alexey Sinegubov, and the Russian “Ambassador” to Abkhazia, Mikhail Shurgalin also participated in the meeting from the Russian side.
• On September 3, 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, met with the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Alan Gagloyev, and the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, Akhsar Jioev, in Sochi. After the Gagloyev-Lavrov meeting, Lavrov and Jioev signed a plan of consultations between diplomatic agencies for 2024-2025. Gonchar, his deputy, Alexey Sinegubov, and Marat Kulakhmetov, the Russian “Ambassador” to the Tskhinvali region, also participated in the meeting from the Russian side.
• On October 17, 2023, the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Tskhinvali region, Akhsar Jioev, met with Gonchar. The meeting discussed current issues of regional security and cooperation between Russia and the de facto republic, as well as the plan of consultations between diplomatic agencies for 2024-2025 which was signed by Jioev and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, on October 3, in Sochi.
• On November 9, 2023, de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, congratulated Gonchar with his birthday.