Semyon Grigoriev

“Ambassador” of the Russian Federation to the de facto Republic of Abkhazia (former)

General Biographical Information

• Semyon Grigoryev was born on July 1, 1960, in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union.
• In 1983, he graduated from the Faculty of International Relations of the Moscow State University of International Relations.
• On February 8, 2019, he was granted the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
• From 2012, he is the Honorary Professor of the so-called state university of Abkhazia.
• Awarded with various orders/medals of the de facto republic of Abkhazia: Akhdz-Apsha I and II degrees, the medal For Merit of the de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia.
• In Russian political circles, he is considered to be a good diplomat and well-versed in Eastern affairs.
• Speaks English, Persian, Pashto and Dari.

Diplomatic Career

• In 1983, Semyon Grigoryev started his diplomatic career at the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
• In 1987-1990, he worked as the Senior Referent, Attaché at the Middle East Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.
• In 1990-1997, he worked as the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Secretary at the Embassy first of the Soviet Union, then the Russian Federation in Iran.
• In 1997-2000, he was first the Adviser, then the Head of the Iran Department at the 3rd Asian Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• In 2000-2001, he was the Political Advisor to the OSCE Mission in Tajikistan.
• In 2001-2003, he was first the Advisor, then the Head of the Iran Department at the 3rd Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
• In 2003-2006, he was the Deputy Director of the 4th CIS department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. He oversaw Russian-Georgian relations and as part of a Russian delegation worked on the issue of the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Batumi and Akhalkalaki.
• In 2006-2008, he was the Counselor-Ambassador at the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan.
• In February-December 2008, he was the Deputy Director of the 4th CIS Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Grigoryev Supervised relations with the de facto republics of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
• From October 25, 2008 to March 30, 2018, he was the first “Ambassador” of Russia to the de facto republic of Abkhazia. Grigoryev presented his credentials to the de facto President of Abkhazia, Sergey Bagapsh, on December 16, 2008. On February 9, 2009, by a decree of the Russian government, the Russian “Embassy” was officially established in Abkhazia. On April 30, 2009, Grigoryev together with five employees arrived in Sokhumi and started the “Embassy” activity.
• In 2018, Grigoryev was replaced by Aleksey Dvinianin.
• From August 1, 2018 to August 2022, he headed the Department for Relations with the Federation Subjects, Parliament and Public Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• On August 16, 2022, Grigoryev was appointed as the Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan.