Mikhail Bogdanov

Mikhail Leonidovich Bogdanov (; born 2 March 1952) is a Russian diplomat. He was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Special Representative of the President of Russia for the Middle East. He is also Deputy Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.

Early life and career Bogdanov graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) in 1974. As student at MGIMO, he was the captain of the MGIMO basketball team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and, later, he played as a member of the basketball team.

Mikhail Bogdanov was appointed director of the Department of the Middle East and North Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2002, serving in this position until 2005. He has served as deputy foreign minister since June 2011, special presidential envoy for the Middle East since 23 January 2012, and special presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa since October 2014.

During the Syrian Civil War, he acted as an intermediary between the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition based in Turkey. He was allegedly debriefed by Randa Kassis, who is a friend of foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, after she had attended a speech by Donald Trump Jr. for the Fabien Baussart-associated Center of Political and Foreign Affairs think tank in Paris on 11 October 2016, after which she allegedly stated that she could serve as a back door communication link between the Trump administration and president Vladimir Putin.

Personal life He is married and has a son. In addition to his native Russian, Bogdanov is fluent in Arabic and English.

Awards