The current deputy foreign minister of Russia, Sergei Vershinin, has been appointed as the country's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Turkey, reported “Türkiye Today“ and RIA Novosti, citing a decree by President Vladimir Putin, BTA reports.
The decree relieves Vershinin of his post as deputy minister “in connection with his transfer to another post“. The appointment follows a decree by Putin last year, by which former Russian ambassador to Ankara Alexei Erkhov was reappointed as ambassador to Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Vershinin has worked in Russia's foreign policy system since 1976, holding various positions in missions in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. From 1999 to 2003 he was ambassador to Algeria, and from 2011 - special representative of the Russian Foreign Minister for the Middle East settlement. In 2018 he was appointed deputy foreign minister. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.
The decree on Vershinin's appointment was also published on the official website of the Russian Embassy in Ankara.