Support The Moscow Times!

'Cautious Diplomat' Named Envoy to Britain

A career diplomat who once was a frontrunner to head UNESCO has been appointed Russia's ambassador to Britain, the Kremlin said Thursday.

Alexander Yakovenko, 56, previously a deputy foreign minister, was mentioned for the London job last fall, but the Kremlin took four months to mull over his candidacy, apparently seeking not to disturb an ongoing “reset” in ties with Britain.

Yakovenko replaces Yury Fedotov, who became director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in September.

Yakovenko sought the job of UNESCO director-general last fall, but the post was assumed by Bulgarian Irina Bokova in October.

“He is known to be a cautious diplomat who can suppress his emotions. It is important today when there is a need to avoid controversial issues,” Sergei Utkin, analyst at the Moscow-based Institute of World Economy and International Relationships, said by telephone.

Russian-British ties soured after the 2006 poisoning death of Alexander Litvinenko, a former security officer and outspoken Kremlin critic, in London. Russia refused to extradite Britain's main suspect in the case.

But the situation has improved under the current British government. Both countries understand “the need for reset,” Utkin said. “But in both countries there are forces who desire to ruin the reset."

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more