Key Persons

Rashid Nurgaliyev

Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of Russian Federation 

The Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of Russian Federation, Rashid Nurgaliyev is a rather influential public servant when it comes to the issues of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. Important part of his work is connected to the occupied Georgian regions. After the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, Nurgaliyev has been a frequent guest of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia, as well as the Deputy Secretary of the Security Council. He also has a function of coordinating, to some extent, the work of Russian law enforcement structures in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. Occasionally, he also plays the role of a “crisis manager” during domestic political tensions in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. Nurgaliyev not only curates the issues in the competencies of the law enforcement structures, but also the implementation of certain social-economic projects important in the field of security, including the implementation of the program for “developing border districts” existing under the investment programs supporting the social-economic development of Tskhinvali Region.  The construction of roads ongoing in terms of the program is controlled by Nurgaliyev directly. The projects of constructing a strategically important Tskhinvali-Akhlagori road as well as the houses for those living in border villages were implemented in terms of this program. Nurgaliyev often visits Akhalgori district and the de facto border districts of Tskhinvali Region to monitor the implementation of this program.

General Biographical Information 

  • Rashid Nurgaliyev was born on October 8, 1956, in a family of police employees in Dzhetigara, Kazakhstan SSR in USSR.
  • In 1974, he graduated from the secondary school of the village of Nadvoitsi, Karelia ASSR, RSFSR, USSR.
  • From 1974 to 1979, he studied at the Kuusinen State University of Petrozavodsk.
  • Nurgaliyev is a candidate of economic sciences.
  • He has received numerous state Orders.
  • In 2004, he published a book entitled Ministry of Internal Affairs:  1902-2002:  Historical Overview.
  • In 2005, he was granted the title of General-Major.
  • He loves Hockey and is a vegetarian.

Professional Career

  • From 1979 to 1981, he worked as a teacher of physics in his native village.
  • From 1981, he started working at the Karelia ASSR KGB, where he worked on various positions ranging from operative employee to the Head of Division for Counter Terrorism. From 1992 to 1994, Nurgaliyev’s boss was the Minister of Security of Karelia, Nikolai Patrushev, who was the Director of the Federal Service of Security of Russia from 1999 to 2008.
  • From 1995, he first worked in the central apparatus of the Federal Counter-Intelligence Service and then on various positions at the Federal Security Service:  General Inspector of the Organizational-Inspection Division, Head of Department of the Security Division.
  • In 1998-1999, he headed the Main Control Division at the Russian Presidential Administration.
  • From 1999, he headed the Division for Combatting Contraband and Illegal Drug Trafficking at the Economic Security Department of the Federal Security Service, later becoming the Deputy Director and Head of the Inspection Division.
  • From 2002, he was the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia and Head of the Criminal Militsiya Division. He curated the fight against drug businesses and organized crime.
  • On March 9, 2004, Nurgaliyev was appointed to the position of the Minister of Internal Affairs. Before that, from December 29, 2003, he was Acting Minister of Internal Affairs due to the resignation of Boris Grizlov (who became the State Duma Speaker). During his tenure as Minister, Militsiya was renamed to become Police. Nurgaliyev’s critics consider the name change to be his only achievement as Minister. He is often criticized for the unsuccessful reform at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He was considered to be one of the least popular Ministers, which is why Putin did not name him as Minister when he was forming the new Cabinet.
  • On May 21, 2012, Nurgaliyev became the Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of Russian Federation 

Relations with Abkhazia

  • On November 14, 2008, Nurgaliyev visited Abkhazia together with the Minister of Defense of Russia, Sergey Shoygu, where, together with the de facto leaders, they discussed the issues of maintaining law and order and actions during emergency situations.
  • On October 28, 2010, Nurgaliyev visited Abkhazia and met with the de facto President, Sergey Baghapsh and de facto Minister of Internal Affairs, Leonid Dziapshba, after which an extended meeting was held, attended by the heads of Internal Affairs Divisions of Krasnodar Krai and Sochi. Special focus on the meeting was on support in searching for automobiles.
  • On June 13, 2011, in Moscow, Nurgaliyev and the de facto Minister of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia, Leonid Dziapshba, signed an Agreement on the Rules of Providing Pensions for Law Enforcement Structure Employees.
  • On July 6, 2012, Nurgaliyev visited Abkhazia together with Tatyana Golikova, who was, at the time, Assistant to the President in Social-Economic Interactions with Abkhazia and “South Ossetia”.
  • On December 2, 2013, Nurgaliyev visited Sokhumi and met with the newly appointed Secretary of the de facto Security Council of Abkhazia, Nugzar Ashuba. The issues of bilateral cooperation in social-economic and security fields were discussed at the meeting.
  • On February 6, 2014, Nurgaliyev visited Sokhumi and met with the de facto President, Aleksandr Ankvab. The issues of ensuring the security of Abkhazia during Sochi Olympic Games in January-March 2014 were discussed during the meeting.
  • In May 2014, Nurgaliyev played the role of a “crisis manager” in Abkhazia, together with the Assistant of the President, Vladislav Surkov, when the opposition came out against the de facto President in Abkhazia. After the visit from the representatives of the Kremlin, de facto President Aleksandr Ankvab resigned and early elections were appointed. During the visit Nurgaliyev also met with the members of the de facto Security Council of Abkhazia.
  • On July 14, 2015, Nurgaliyev visited Sokhumi, where he met with the de facto President and the Minister of Defense and Internal Affairs of Abkhazia behind closed doors.
  • On December 15, 2015, Nurgaliyev arrived in Sokhumi and met with the de facto President, Raul Khajimba. The issues of forming a single format for the defense and security of Russia and Abkhazia were discussed at the meeting.
  • On August 20, 2018, Nurgaliyev arrived in Sokhumi and met with the de facto President, Raul Khajimba. One of the main topics of discussion was the situation at the border on Enguri River, which, according to Khajimba’s assessment, had improved.
  • On June 10, 2019, Nurgaliyev paid working visit to Abkhazia. During the visit Nurgaliyev met with Raul Khajimba, de facto President. Nurgaliyev discussed the issues related to the Ministers of Internal Affairs, Healthcare, Defence and Customs, as well as the issues of transport traffic. Nurgaliyev also reviewed regional security issues. On June 11, Nurgaliyev met with Lev Kvitsinia, de facto Minister of Emergency Situations. Simplification of so-called state border crossing in case of emergency was discussed at the meeting.
  • As a result of political crisis in Abkhazia during the period of 9-12 January, 2020, de facto president Raul Khajimba resigned. Nurgaliyev and Vladislav Surkov, Assistant to the President, actively participated in negotiation process between Khajimba and his opposition. Nurgaliyev was actively involved in the ongoing processes from the very beginning and on January 10 he arrived in Abkhazia.  Nurgaliyev delegation consisted of the representatives of law enforcement agencies. Later, the same day, Nurgaliyev met with Khajimba and discussed ongoing processes. On January 11 another meeting between Nurgaliyev and Khajimba was held. On the same day, Nurgaliyev also met with opposition leader Aslab Bzhania. Nurgaliyev met with Khajimba for the third time on January 12, when Khajimba met with Bzhania. Aslan Bartsitz, de facto Vice President, Mukhamed Kilba, Secretary of de facto Security Council, and Alkhas Kvitsinia, a runner-up in the last illegitimate presidential elections, also attended the meeting. Nurgaliyev also participated in the negotiations.
  • On March 2, 2020, de facto Acting President of Abkhazia Valery Bganba had a phone conversation with the Nurgaliyev. The topic of the conversation was emergency hospitalization of Aslan Bzhania, candidates for the illegitimate presidential elections in Abkhazia. Bganba asked the Russian side, the Ministry of Health and law enforcement Agencies, to provide assistance in conducting a preliminary investigation of the circumstances related to the hospitalization of Aslan Bzhania.
  • On June 1, 2020, a telephone conversation was held between Nurgaliyev and Aslan Bzhania. They discussed the challenges that the tourism sector faces in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as talked about opening the borders. As a result of the conversation, Nurgaliyev and Bzhania agreed that the Russian Federation and the de facto republic of Abkhazia would coordinate actions in this regard.
  • On December 11-19, 2020, the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, paid working visit to Russia. During the visit, Bzhania met with several representatives of the Russian government. The main purpose of these meetings was to discuss issues related to the implementation of the November 12 agreement reached in Sochi between Bzhania and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. As part of the visit to Moscow, Bzhania met with Alexander Bortnikov, the Director of the Federal Security Service, and Nurgaliyev.
  • On July 30, 2021, during the working visit in Moscow de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania met with the Nurgaliyev.
  • On April 26-29, 2022, the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, was on a working visit to Moscow. During the visit, Bzhania met with Nurgaliev.
  • On February 19, 2022, during his visit to Moscow, de facto President Aslan Bzhania, met with Nurgaliev. According to a representative of Bzhania, the meeting discussed the issues of bilateral relations in terms of security.
  • On March 21, 2023, a working meeting was held in the Security Council of Russia between the de facto Secretary of the Security Council, Sergey Shamba, and Nurgaliyev. Shamba and Nurgaliyev discussed current issues of security, as well as the prospects for the development of Russian-Abkhazian relations.
  • On March 23, 2023, de facto Secretary of the Security Council, Sergey Shamba, met with the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Nikolai Patrushev. The meeting discussed security issues within the framework of the alliance and strategic partnership agreement.  The parties also signed a cooperation plan between the Security Councils for 2023-2024. Nurgaliyev also attended the meeting.
  • On April 18, 2023, during his visit to Moscow, de facto President Aslan Bzhania met with Nurgaliyev. The meeting discussed the issues of regional security and socio-economic development of Abkhazia, as well as the issue of ensuring the safety of Russian tourists arriving in Abkhazia during the holiday season. 
  • On October 27, 2023, an agreement was signed between the de facto government of Abkhazia and Infrastructural Development LLC (Инфраструктурное Развитие) on the reconstruction of the V. Ardzinba Sokhumi International Airport. The signing ceremony was attended by the de facto President, Aslan Bzhania, the de facto Prime Minister, Alexander Ankvab, the so-called Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy, Kristina Ozgan, other members of the de facto government and the owner of the winning company, Nurgaliyev's son, Rashid Nurgaliyev.
  • On November 9, 2023, within the framework of his working visit to Moscow, the President of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, met with Nurgaliyev. Cooperation between Russia and the de facto republic in the field of security and energy was discussed at the meeting which was also attended by the de facto Prime Minister, Alexander Ankvab.

Relations with Tskhinvali Region

  • On July 21, 2009, Nurgaliyev visited Tskhinvali together with the General Prosecutor and the Minister of Emergency Situations. During the meeting with local leaders, Nurgaliyev discussed the issues of future cooperation and inspected the constructions taking place in Tskhinvali Region funded by the Russian MIA including the rehabilitation of the infrastructure of de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tskhinvali Region. In terms of the visit, the Russian side and the de facto Prosecutor’s Office of Tskhinvali Region signed a memorandum of cooperation.
  • A tense situation arose in Tskhinvali Region prior to the November 13, 2011 illegitimate Presidential elections, after one of the candidates, the General Coach of the Russian Federation’s National Team in Free Wrestling, Jambolat Tedeev, was not allowed to register. According to the existing information, Nurgaliyev arrived in Tskhinvali on October 3, in order to defuse the conflict between the political groupings.
  • On June 18-19, 2012, Russian delegation, headed by Nurgaliyev, visited Tskhinvali Region. Apart from meeting with the de facto leaders, the guests also went to Akhalgori and Java districts. In Akhalgori, apart from visiting the local hospital, Nurgaliyev also visited the military settlement of the Border Division of Federal Security Service of Russian Federation.
  • On September 24, 2012, during his visit to Tskhinvali Region, Nurgaliyev inspected the Tskhinvali-Akhalgori road together with the de facto President, Leonid Tibilov. Nurgaliyev also met with Akhalgori administration and population, later visiting the drilling works designed to supply local population with water at the village of Tsinagara.
  • On December 1, 2012, at the invitation of the Secretary of de facto Security Council of Tskhinvali Region, Anatoly Plyev, Nurgaliyev visited Tskhinvali. He also met with the de facto leaders of the region. During the visit, one of the topics of discussion was the 2013-2014 cooperation between the Security Councils.
  • On January 28, 2013, Nurgaliyev visited Tskhinvali Region. The Russian delegation included the Deputy Minister of Justice, Maksim Travnikov, representative of the Presidential Administration, Sergey Zhuk and representatives of other Russian institutions.
  • On August 29, 2013, Nurgaliyev visited Akhalgori district together with the de facto President of Tskhinvali Region, Leonid Tibilov, including the water reservoirs and the spring at the village of Tsinagara, which will be filling up the reservoirs.
  • On April 28, 2014, Nurgaliyev arrived in Tskhinvali Region with a three-day visit. Issues of regional security were discussed during the meeting with the de facto President, Leonid Tibilov. Nurgaliyev also visited Akhalgori district, where he inspected the roads damaged by a natural disaster and the ongoing constructing of a bridge in the village of Kanchaveti.
  • On October 24-25, 2016, an eleven-person delegation of the representatives of Russian law enforcement structures (including the Prosecutor’s Office, MIA, Investigation Committee and Security Service) visited Tskhinvali with the leadership of Nurgaliyev. Together with the de facto President, Leonid Tibilov, Nurgaliyev also inspected a road being built from the village of Sinaguri to a gorge located at the border.
  • In July 2017, Nurgaliyev inspected the newly-built roads leading to Russian military bases and border control points. He held meetings with the representatives of Russian law enforcement structures on the occupied territories.
  • On December 8, 2017, Nurgaliyev met with the Secretary of the de facto Security Council of Tskhinvali Region, Valeri Valiev, in Moscow. The situation at the border zone was discussed during the meeting.
  • On April 10, 2018, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and Valiev signed the 2018-2019 cooperation plan in Moscow. Nurgaliyev also attended the signing ceremony.
  • On July 2, 2018, Nurgaliyev arrived in Tskhinvali Region with a two-day visit, where he went to various districts together with the de facto President, Anatoly Bibilov. Firstly, Nurgaliyev and Bibilov inspected territories nearby Tskhinvali, where a bypass road for suburban vehicles could be built in the case of opening a transit road through Tskhinvali Region. Afterwards, they visited Zonkari reservoir and discussed the issues of its security. In the end, they went to the Russian-funded kindergarten and school in Akhalgori district. A discussion was held at the end of the meeting, where the issues of border district security were under consideration.
  • On February 20, 2019, in Moscow, Valery Valiyev, de facto Secretary of Security Council, and Igor Kozaev, de facto Head of Presidential Administration of Tskhinvali Region, discussed with Nurgaliyev cooperation in security field. At the meeting were discussed important security issues in direction of Tskhinvali Region, including implementation of the measures planned under the Alliance and Integration Agreement, signed by Russia and Tskhinvali on March 18, 2015.
  • On April 22, 2019, Inter-Agency Delegation of the Russian Federation chaired by Nurgaliyev paid three day working visit to Tskhinvali Region. Visit of the Delegation was the result of the March 6, 2019 meeting held in Moscow between Vladimer Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Anatoly Bibilov, de facto President of Tskhinvali Region. During the visit Nurgaliyev highlighted two important issues: Reconstruction of “Transkam“ – the only highway connecting Russia and Tskhinvali Region and energy supply for the Region.
  • On September 4, 2020, Nurgaliyev, had a telephone conversation with the de facto president of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov. According to the media, the sides "discussed the situation in the republic (the Tskhinvali region)." As Nurgaliyev stated, "the situation is under the control of the government." "The most important thing is that the president (the de facto president, Anatoly Bibilov) controls the situation, and all the issues are resolved not at the level of outbursts of emotions, but at the level of working meetings," said Nurgaliyev. The internal political situation in the Tskhinvali region has become tense since the death of 30-year-old Inal Jabiev, on August 28. He was accused of attacking the de facto Minister of Internal Affairs of the Tskhinvali region. He died as a result of physical torture in a pre-trial detention isolator. After Jabiev's death, the de facto government resigned and protests rallies began in Tskhinvali.
  • On July 26-28, 2021, Nurgaliyev visited the Tskhinvali region. During the visit, he met with the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov. Nurgaliyev took part in the signing ceremony of a decision of the meeting of the bilateral Committee of the Internal Affairs Ministries of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and the Tskhinvali region. Nurgaliyev and Bibilov also opened a complex of buildings of the Joint Information-Coordination Center. Nurgaliyev visited villages along the occupation line, including Sinagur and Tedelet. On July 28, the last day of his visit, Nurgaliyev inspected the construction of a backup transmission line.
  • On November 24, 2021, a Russian delegation paid a working visit to the Tskhinvali region. The delegation comprised of: Nurgaliyev, the Head of the Directorate for Interregional Relations and Cultural Contacts with Foreign Countries of the Russian Presidential Administration, Igor Maslov, and his deputy, Viktor Shargaev. On the first day of the visit, a working meeting was held with the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, and members of the de facto government. During the visit, Nurgaliyev also discussed the security issues and held a meeting on the protection of the “state border.” On November 26, as part of the visit, an opening ceremony of a backup power transmission line was also held. The power transmission line will improve the electricity supply from Russia to the Tskhinvali region. The Russian delegation also attended the event.
  • On June 15, 2022, a delegation of the de facto republic of the Tskhinvali region, led by the de facto President, Alan Gagloyev, met with the Russian side in Moscow. The main topic of discussion was the issue of holding a referendum in the Tskhinvali region on the unification of the de facto republic and Russia. The Russian delegation included the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Dmitry Kozak, the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, Konstantin Kosachev, the Head of the Directorate for Interregional Relations and Cultural Contacts with Foreign Countries of the Presidential Administration, Igor Maslov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrey Rudenko, the de facto Ambassador of Russia to the Republic, Marat Kulakhmetov, the Deputy Head of the Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation of the President's Administration, Sergey Bovenko and Nurgaliyev.
  • On March 17, 2023, during his visit to Moscow, de facto president Alan Gagloyev met with Nurgaliyev.  A meeting between Alan Gagloyev and Vladimir Putin preceded the meetings. At the meeting with Nurgaliyev, Gagloyev discussed international and national security issues. The meeting also reviewed the situation on the territory controlled by the Central Government of Georgia.
  • On August 25, 2023, during his visit to Moscow, the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Alan Gagloyev, met with Nurgaliev. The meeting discussed the issues of bilateral relations. Gagloyev's visit to Moscow was related to the 15th anniversary of the recognition of the independence of the de facto republic of the Tskhinvali region by Russia (August 26, 2008).