Mikhail Galuzin

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

General Biographical Information

• Mikhail Galuzin was born on June 14, 1960, In Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union.
• In 1983, he graduated from the Institute of Asian and African Countries at the Lomonosov Moscow State University.
• He speaks Japanese and English.
• In 2014, he was granted the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
• He is awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky (2020) for his contribution to the implementation of Russia's foreign policy course and long-term diplomatic activities, and the Order of Friendship (2016) for his great contribution to holding the Russian-ASEAN Summit in Sochi in 2016.

Professional Career

• Galuzin is a Soviet and Russian diplomat. He has been in diplomacy since 1983 and works in agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in various positions, both in the central office and abroad, in the positions of ambassador.
• In 1983-1986, he was an employee of the Embassy of the Soviet Union to Japan.
• In 1992-1997, he was an employee of the Russian Embassy in Japan.
• In 1997-1999, he was the Head of a unit of the 2nd Asian Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• In 1999-2001, he was the Deputy Director of the 2nd Asian Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• In 2001-2008, he was the Counsellor-Envoy in the Russian Embassy to Japan.
• In 2008-2010, he was the Director of the Asia-Pacific Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• In 2010-2012, he was the Director of the 3rd  Asian Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• From October 11, 2012, to January 29, 2018, he was the Ambassador of Russia to Indonesia and concurrently to Kiribati, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and the Permanent Representative of Russia to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
• From January 29, 2018, to November 25, 2022, he was the Russian Ambassador to Japan. As an ambassador, he defended Moscow's interests in the ongoing territorial dispute with Japan over the Kuril Islands. In November 2022, Galuzin said that the Russian side wants to restore air traffic with Japan, although Japan is against it. In addition, before leaving the post of ambassador, he blamed Japan for the deterioration of Russia-Japan relations against the backdrop of Russia's military aggression in Ukraine.
• On November 25, 2022, he was relieved of his post of ambassador to Japan and appointed as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. He is responsible for relations with the Union State of Russia-Belarus and the CIS countries, as well as with Georgia and the occupied regions of Georgia. In this direction, he replaced the Deputy Minister, Andrey Rudenko, who became responsible for the Asian direction.

Relations with Abkhazia

• On January 26, 2023, the "Ambassador" of Abkhazia to Russia, Alkhas Kvitsinia, handed copy of credentials to Galuzin. Kvitsinia was appointed as the "Ambassador" on November 30, 2022.
• On March 30, 2023, Galuzin, met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the de facto republic of Abkhazia, Irakli Tuzhba, and the Adviser to the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Konstantine Kochiev. According to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the parties discussed the prospect of the involvement of representatives of Russia, the de facto republics of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia in the discussion and the creation of security guarantees for the occupied regions through the Geneva International Discussion.
• On May 31, 2023, the President of Russia appointed Galuzin as his representative to the Federal Assembly on the issue of ratification of a dual citizenship agreement with the de facto republic.
• On July 6, 2023, Abkhazia's de facto Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Irakli Tuzhba, met with Galuzin in Moscow. Konstantin Kochiev, the State Adviser of the de facto President of the occupied Tskhinvali region, also participated in the meeting which discussed the agenda of the 58th round of the Geneva International Discussions.
• On August 14, 2023, Galuzin met with the “Ambassadors” of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region to Russia. The meeting talked about the war of August 2008 and the recognition of the regions by Moscow.