Photo: Sergei Bobylev/TASS/dpa/picture alliance
On 5 October, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation announced that Anatoliy Antonov had completed his work as ambassador to the United States. It is known that the plane with the former ambassador left for Moscow in the evening of 5 October, Moscow time.
Antonov, who took over the Russian Embassy in Washington in August 2017, previously worked in the Security and Disarmament Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Before that, he served as Deputy Minister of Defence and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia. His diplomatic career was overshadowed by international sanctions for supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
In particular, after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Antonov was sanctioned by countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the European Union. This happened against the backdrop of his controversial statements, in particular, before the invasion of Ukraine, when he claimed that Russia was not planning aggression against its neighbour.
It is not yet known who will take his place as ambassador to the United States. The end of Antonov’s mission may indicate a change in Moscow’s foreign policy approach, especially in the context of growing tensions with the West.
The Kremlin’s further steps in this direction could significantly affect the diplomatic atmosphere between Russia and the United States, which has recently undergone significant transformations due to global challenges and geopolitical conflicts.
