Färit Möxämmätşin

Farit Mubarakshevich Mukhametshin (; born 31 January 1947) is a Russian politician and diplomat. He served as a member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly as the representative of Samara Oblast between 2018 and 2024. He has previously been head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), and as ambassador of Russia to Moldova, and to Uzbekistan.

Early life Mukhametshin was born on 31 January 1947, in , Apastovsky District, in what was then the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in the Soviet Union. He graduated from the Kazan Aviation Institute in 1970 with a degree as a mechanical engineer. He was also part of the Committee of Youth Organizations of the USSR between 1983 and 1987, and served as deputy chairman of the committee.

Diplomatic and governmental work In 1987, Mukhametshin joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 1990, graduated with honours from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On 10 December 1995 he received the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary 2nd Class. From 1995 until 1999, Mukhametshin was Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Tatarstan under the President of Russia, and Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan. On 21 December 2000, he received a "for many years of impeccable work". Mukhametshin's work was further noted when on 24 July 2001 he received the official thanks of the Government of Russia, and on 19 February 2002, he received the official thanks of the President of Russia for the "development of the draft federal budget for 2002 and active participation in legislative activities". In 2003, Mukhametshin graduated from the with a law degree. On 2 December 2004 he received the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary 1st Class, with a further advancement to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on 6 March 2007. He held the post of ambassador to Moldova until 17 October 2008. That same day Mukhametshin was appointed head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), concurrently with the position as special representative of the President of Russia for Relations with Member States. He served in this role until his release on 5 March 2012. On 5 April 2012, Mukhametshin was appointed ambassador to Moldova. He held the post until 2 July 2018.

Federation Council On 17 September 2018, Mukhametshin was appointed as a member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly as the representative of the executive power of Samara Oblast. The position had become vacant with the appointment of Dmitry Azarov as acting governor of Samara Oblast.

Personal life Over his career Mukhametshin has received various awards on honours. In 1986 he was awarded the Soviet Order of Friendship of Peoples, followed by the Russian Orders of Friendship and of Honour on 22 May 1997, and 23 February 1998 respectively. In 2012 he was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" Fourth Class, subsequently receiving the order's third class on 18 April 2022. On 27 June 2017, he received the Order of Alexander Nevsky. He has been awarded the Uzbekistani Order of Friendship, the Moldovan Order of Honour, and the Russian Orthodox Church's Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow Second Class. He has the degree of a doctor of political sciences, having defended his thesis on "Islam in Russian political life" at the Diplomatic Academy in 1998.

Mukhametshin is married, with two sons. In addition to his native Russian, he speaks English, Turkish, and Persian. He describes his interests as Oriental history, classical music, and the influence of religion on social and political processes. He has authored several books and articles.