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Please direct all questions to [email protected] Nisaa Chaudhry & Emily Devereaux Chairs

Delegates --

My name is Nisaa Chaudhry and I am a first year public health major on the pre-med track here at American. I did Model UN throughout high school and hosted a few high school-level conferences, as well served as part of the conference’s secretariat. I am a D.C. area native, so I love showing my friends around the city and trying new things with them. Outside of class, you can catch me tutoring with D.C. Reads, cheering on the Wizards, or watching re-runs of Scandal.

Being a part of Model UN is one of my most cherished high school memories, and I am very excited to take part in AMERIMUNC VI. From my time in Model UN, my biggest takeaway is to recognize the importance of teamwork. Each delegate has the ability to pitch in ideas that can ultimately craft viable solutions, so do not be afraid to say what’s on your mind. Recognizing the importance of teamwork will not only help you become a stronger delegate, but it will also allow you to learn something new.

My name is Emily Devereaux and I am a first year international relations major on the pre-med track. I did Model UN throughout high school, and I am also on American’s Model UN team. I love to debate, but I also enjoy getting out into DC and exploring the culture, art, and fun things to do in the city! I spend my (minimal) free time reading or running. My favorite show is Parks and Recreation (my senior year communications teacher told me I am Leslie Knope, what a compliment).

I would love to see all the delegates give it their all. From my experience in Model UN, many delegates give up or burn out. While it seems so easy to do so, it is more rewarding to give a genuine effort. I look forward to seeing creative ideas and constructive debate between everyone. Just remember hard work pays off! A genuine effort will bring you very far, not just in this conference but in everything you do!

Good luck in your preparations. Feel free to email us with any questions, comments, or concerns! See everyone in February!

Best,

Emily & Nisaa 01 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

ABOUT RUSSIA

The President of Russia is the directly elected head of state. The President then appoints a Prime Minister, who must be approved by the Cabinet. Both the cabinet and the Prime Minister and President make policy decisions regarding the Russian Federation.

Committee at a Glance any means necessary. You may all take In this committee you will be acting separate actions within your own members of President Vladimir Putin’s jurisdiction of your position of power in Cabinet of the Russian Federation. Your this cabinet, and that you should job is to advise the president during behave within the scope of your crisis, and to make decisions on which officials ideology and beliefs. Should actions to take in response to the other you step outside the boundaries of committee’s actions and any other your capabilities, the crisis staff will crises that may occur. This can range alert you and remind you of your limits. from any powers given to the president As a member of the Cabinet of Russia, himself, on any matter that may assist in we wish you luck in leading Russia in solving these problems, as long as they this crisis, and President Putin looks are within the capabilities of the forward to the solutions you produce Russian Federation. Remember to keep with your fellow cabinet members. in mind that the committee’s sole purpose is to advise and recommend Russian-North Korean Relations actions to the president, should the president chose to follow is to the Economic Relations discretion of President Putin, who will Russia has had a strong economic be characterized by the crisis staff. Any interest in North Korea since the decisions made by the president are division of Korea. When Russia was still final. Your goal as a committee is to a member state of the Soviet Union, It’s protect the best interests of the Russian economic support of North Korea Federation and the people of Russia by alongside China’s formed the backbone of the Korean economy. By 02

1990, Russia’s share of North Korea’s on the Korean peninsula are to foreign trade reached an all time high maintain good standing with both the of 53%. Russia was not only involved North and South in order to maintain with trade but also with building North the current mutually beneficial Korea’s heavy industry. Approximately economic relationship between 70 large industrial enterprises were themselves and the two Koreas. built in North Korea with Soviet help by Russia’s economic investment in the 1990. development of the Korean Peninsula, leads to their continued insistence on a When the Soviet Union collapsed peaceful and cooperative relationship however, the new Russian between the two Koreas. Russia’s administration focused its efforts on economic relationship with the two building a new economic relationship Koreas is a key part of their “Turning to with South Korea, and began to neglect the East” strategy as Korea’s position in their previous economic interaction with North East Asia, would be a good the North. This sharp turn in the early jumping off point for Russian economic 90s largely ended bilateral economic involvement in the Asian Pacific Region. relations between the two countries Russia is dedicated to maintaining a until the end of the decade. peaceful relationship between the two Koreas and is strictly opposed to At the turn of the century, Russia military intervention or regime change. decided that bilateral cooperation Russia also promotes the full economic between themselves and the two engagement of North Korea with its Korean states was the most regional counterparts. economically beneficial option for Russian interests. In early 2000, the Treaty on Friendship, Good Neighborly Relations, and Cooperation was signed. This treaty led to renewed economic cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Later in 2001, A second treaty, The Moscow Declaration, was signed which emphasized cooperation in, “reconstruction of enterprises built by joint efforts particularly in electric energy industry” and “the project of creating a railway transport corridor linking the North and the South of the Korean Peninsula with Russia and Europe.” Overall this renewed economic relationship can be described as pragmatic and non ideologically based.

This pragmatic approach continues to this day. Russia’s main economic goals 03 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 04

In 2012, it was agreed that Russia would forgive 90% of the DPRK’s debts

Russia also hopes to implement huge in the region (i.e. continued escalation economic development projects for the of tensions between the DPRK and Korean peninsula that involve the America, Western Sanctions against cooperation of both North and South Russia and North Korea) are driving Korea. The largest and most ambitious more and more cooperation between of these include connecting the North Korea and Russia. trans-Korean Railway and the trans-Siberian Railway, constructing a Another prime example of a growing gas pipeline to South Korea through economic relationship between North North Korea, and supplying Russian Korea and the Russian Federation is electricity to the Korean Peninsula. the settlement of debt that North Korea Because these trilateral projects hinge inherited from its relationship with the on the easing of tensions between the Soviet Union. When Russia tried to North and South, Russia is decidedly renew economic relations with North against the North Korean nuclear Korea, this unpaid debt was one of the program. major obstacles to a new relationship. In 2012, it was agreed that Russia On the Korean side, Kim Jong Un has would forgive 90% of the DPRK’s debts made very clear that he wishes to open and the rest would be paid back over a up trade relations. The DPRK mostly 20 year period. It was also suggested wishes to reduce their reliance on that the money paid back to Russia Chinese trade which as of 2015 made would then be used to fund joint up about 90% of all of their foreign Russian-North Korea projects in trade. This leaves Russia as one of their education, healthcare and energy most likely choices for developing fields. friendly trade relations. Current affairs 05 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

In order to bypass Western sanctions North Korea, and South Korea. Because on North Korea that made banking of sanctions placed on North Korea by difficult, Russia and North Korea agreed South Korea, the only option for South to make all bank settlements in rubles Korean companies to invest in the when trading between the two North is through cooperation with countries. In early 2014, the first North Russia. Ultimately, Russia’s dedication Korean bank accounts were opened in to maintaining friendly economic Russian banks, opening up further relations with both North and South options for economic cooperation. In Korea, sets it apart from both the US the same conference, North Korea and China, and could set it up as a presented to the Russian delegation mediator and balancer on the special “economic zones” In these peninsula. zones, North Korea wanted Russia to cooperate with them on several Military Relations different development goals, such as In 1948 the Democratic Republic of assistance in mining projects, North Korea was proclaimed under the manufacturing of goods within North Soviet Union. This took place Korea, and expanded agricultural immediately after the Korean War, projects. In the same year, North Korea when the Soviet 25th occupied and expressed extreme openness when it assisted the North Koreans which expressed willingness to create started a strong relationship between improved business conditions for the Soviet Union and North Korea. The Russian businesses. Soviet Union used this partnership as a buffer between themselves, and any However it should be noted that while anticipated attack from Japan, the there has been extraordinary United States, and later, China. cooperation between North Korea and Russia in their meetings and treaties, However it wasn’t until July of 1961 that there has been little success so far in the two countries signed the Treaty of tangible economic development. The Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual reasons cited for this failure, range from Assistance, which in Article 1 Section North Korean economic stagnation to two states, “Should either of the distrust between Russian firms and their contracting parties suffer armed attack North Korean counterparts. This failure by any state or coalition of states and however has not discouraged Russia thus find itself in a state of war, the from trying to increase its economic other contracting party shall involvement in North Korea. Russia has immediately extend military and other already invested heavily in rail assistance with all the means at this transportation between the Russian disposal”. Following this treaty, the border and North Korean ports in hopes Soviet Union became North Korea’s of lowering the cost of goods main source of modern military transportation between the two nations. hardware. Russia also has not neglected their overall goal of trilateral economic In 1984, Kim Il-Sung, took a five day trip cooperation between themselves, to Moscow, where he requested 06

military aid, with General Secretary Although, in order to keep both North Konstantin Chernenko, in which the Korea in line and peace on the Soviets gave North Korea shipments of peninsula, the Soviet Union would give weapons for the first time since 1973. higher military grade weaponry to As a result, goodwill visits between high priority Warsaw Pact members, and ranking officials, joint celebrations, and many of the weapons given to joint naval exercises increased Pyongyang, was received after the dramatically. By 1985, the Soviets southern government in Seoul had provided the Korean’s with 60 Mig-23 already acquired them anyways. fighter bombers and about 30 SA-3 surface-to-air missiles. In the late 1980’s, Moscow began to rebuild relations with Seoul, which In return, North Korea allowed the caused the Soviet’s relations with Soviets flyover privilege in the region, Pyongyang to deteriorate slightly. and for the Soviet’s to install Nonetheless, the Soviets still intelligence and surveillance equipment maintained their promises and by 1990 in North Korea. In 1986, Il-Sung made had given North Korea 2.3 billion another visit, which ended in Moscow dollars worth of military equipment and giving North Korea MiG-29s and SU-25 weapons. While they had put a stop to aircraft, SA-5 air defense missiles, and joint military exercises in 1989, North the Tin Shield Advanced Radar (which Korea and the Soviet Union continued was designed for early warning, target military co-operations well into the acquisition, and ground control, a 1990s. necessary piece of equipment for the Soviets to strengthen their strategic In March 1992, Colonel General V. position in Northeast Asia). Samson, Chief of the Joint Armed 07 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

forces of the Commonwealth of did not renew the automatic military Independent States, a regional response that the old treaty of 1961 did, intergovernmental organisation of 10 but it did allow for a mutual contact post-Soviet republics visited Pyongyang clause. The word “contact” is loosely to sign an agreement to develop ties defined, as are the measures that may between the CIS Joint Armed Forces or may not be taken by both countries, and the Korean People’s Army. so the responses of both countries can be interpreted differently as different Shortly after the Soviet Union fell, and crisis arise. Russia purposefully in the wake of the new Russian implemented this clause in order to Federation, President of the Russian ensure that they hold influence over an Federation, Boris Yeltsin continued to unpredictable and radical North Korea. strengthen Russia’s ties with Seoul, which in turn further isolated SInce this summit, it appears that the Pyongyang. In 1992, all military military relationship between the co-operations were suspended. This Russian Federation and North Korea policy would remain until 1999. During has been restored to its former this era, North Korea’s military power strength. Russia has lowered the prices depleted rapidly, reeling from the of weapons and military machinery, as country’s high dependency on Russian well as led joint personnel training and aid. military-technological co-operations between the two states. That being said, Colonel General Leonid Ivashov of the Russian Defence On April 26-28 of 2001, the highest Ministry confirmed in 1997, that Russia level visit from the DPRK since the continued to ship, on a limited scale, collapse of the Soviet Union was held military hardware to the DRNK. This in Moscow. Russia and North Korea included 12 decommissioned signed two agreements on submarines, sold as scrap metal, ten of military-technological co-operation: and which were Golf II class, equipped with intergovernmental agreement on three SSN-5 ballistic missiles. Russia military technical co-operation between also continued to sell spy satellite their defence ministries. The photos and information of both South intergovernmental agreement included Korea, and US Military installations to Moscow’s assistance to modernize Pyongyang as well. North Korea’s military hardware and the “framework agreement” included in the In 2000, Vladimir Putin was elected as training of North Korean officers in President of the Russian Federation, Russian military schools. and as one of his first acts as president, he reopened relations with North Korea Since 2000, President Vladimir Putin by signing a new Friendship Treaty at a has culminated a Russian reputation as summit meeting between the two the mentor of North Korea, and created countries. Thus starting a new a center role in the Korean Peninsula. foundation for a state-to-state At this point, approximately 80% of relationship, the new Friendship Treaty North Korea’s military aircraft are Soviet/Russian made, as well as 95% of 08

Russia has supported economic and military sanctions against North korea

ground force equipment and 100% of denuclearize North Korea and has its anti-aircraft equipment. While Russia prepared countermeasures for any had agreed to help modernize their form of attack, putting their military military, disputes have arisen regarding alliance and relationship on hold for payment. That being said, military aid now. has continued to flow to North Korea as Russia suffered from economic and Diplomatic Relations military loss due to a decrease in Upon the division of the Korean demand for Russian weapons from peninsula, the Soviet Union originally other countries around the world. recognized North Korea as “the only legitimate representative” of the In 2011, Kim Jong Un took over as the Korean people. Such relations were Dictator of North Korea, and his based on the principles of radicalism caused Russia to tighten Marxism-Leninism, which stressed that their hold in the region. They supported imperialism is the highest form of economic and military sanctions against capitalism, and proletarian North korea, and have used their internationalism, which is the idea that leverage to attempt to keep peace on all communist relations were part of a the peninsula. In November 2015, the single, global class struggle. head of the Russian delegation to Pyongyang, Colonel General Nikolay Bilateral relations between North Korea Bogdanovsky, and the Vice Chief of the and the Soviet Union endured heating Korean People’s Army O Kum-chol and cooling periods, until 1956, when signed an agreement on preventing relations cooled considerably when dangerous military activities. Russia has Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union also openly supported efforts to at the apex of the Cold War, first 09 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

secretary of the Communist Party of the agreements on technoscientific Soviet Union (1953-1964), and Chairman cooperation and trade were signed, of the Soviet Union (1953-1964), alongside of many other agreements demanded payment for weapons pertinent to both militaristic and supplied to North Korea. In response, economic relations. the North Korean delegation left Moscow early, and today it is widely 1990 symbolized a turning point in believed, that the walkout were North North Korean and Soviet relations. Korea’s original grounds to construct North Korea openly criticized Moscow’s their own nuclear weapons, and contacts with Seoul. This culminated in assume the role of an aggressor. the North Korean Department of Education launching efforts to revise its Into the 1980s, relations between North history, in order to downplay the role of Korea and the Soviet Union continued the Soviet Union in its formation and to be strained. Between 1980 and 1982, growth. Over time, diplomatic meetings North Korean media pushed Anti-Soviet between the two countries dwindled, articles, written by Chinese leaders. for instance, during the summer These articles accused the Soviet Olympics in Seoul in 1988, Gorbachev Union of pursuing a hegemonist policy, refused to visit North Korea. closely linking the Soviet Union to the same propaganda used against the Upon the collapse of the Soviet Union, United States during the same time South Korea acted swiftly to quickly period. recognize the Russian Federation. At this time of growing relations between 1983 to 1989 can be characterized by South Korea and Russia, Russia the exchange of high level delegations discontinued its sale of combat between North Korea and the Soviet supplies to North Korea. Russian Union, as well as the subsequent officials also condemned the North signing and implementation of major Korea nuclear program for the first time. agreements on trade and economic, techno-scientific, military, and cultural At a June 1994 summit between Russia cooperation. Throughout this time, and South Korea, Russia agreed to North Korea hosted delegations from support South Korea’s bid to non the Soviet Union, and vice versa. These permanent member status of the summits culminated in 1986, a year United Nations Security Council in oftentimes seen as the height of exchange for South Korean support of relations between North Korea and the Russia’s membership into APEC. In Soviet Union,. Both foreign ministers addition, the presidents agreed to from both countries, Shevardnadze and maintain channels for bilateral, Kim Yong-nam said in an interview with consultations on Northeast Asia both Soviet and North Korean security dialogue issues, and to install a journalists that the two countries were Hot Line between the Kremlin and the in full agreement on both international Blue House. However, the short-lived and domestic policies. Throughout the relations between South Korea and rest of the decade, intergovernmental Russia halted when South Korea shifted 10

its focus from Russia and toward Russian Relations in the Pacific inter-Korean relations and to the United States, upon the growing fear of North Economic Relations Korea nuclearization. Russia has made it very clear in recent years that the Pacific Region is a top July 1998 is characterized by economic priority. Further souring of back-and-forth dismissals from relations between Russia and Western diplomats on both ends, which created Europe, a depletion of extractable often conflicting messages from the resources, new areas for economic ever revolving door of foreign affairs exploitation opening up in the East, and ministers. While Russia has maintained a widely accepted view that the rather steady economic and diplomatic economies of Asia are both the fastest relations from 1998 to present, Russia growing and strongest economies in has outright declared North Korea an the global economy have all led Russia aggressor, with respect to their testing to view Asian markets and business of nuclear weaponry. Despite these ventures as the most economically economic and diplomatic ties, Russia beneficial for Russia’s fairly unstable still pursues its own interests, even if economy. they are at odds with other states. Overall though, to this day, Russia and Within Russia, however, there is a North Korea maintain strong diplomatic heated debate as to the direction ties. Russian economic involvement in the Asian Pacific Region will look like. The argument lies between the options of further development of the Russian Far East, or increasing net exports to 11 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

nations in the region. Both of these as the reason for their skepticism. options involve developing the These Territories of Accelerated economy of the Russian Far East which Development will most likely not is currently suffering from loss of produce the same sort of economic employment opportunities which has boom seen with the other East Asian led to a decline in the population as tigers, however it and other major well. The difference lies in what projects show the Russian industries would be invested in and Government’s dedication to a more developed. The first option would Eastward looking economic vision of largely focus on structuring the Far the future. East’s economy towards export oriented natural resource extraction, Russia’s resource export sector in the while the second would involve region rests primarily on oil and gas, investing in the region’s manufacturing with a secondary focus on other base which would lead to more mineral resources - forestry, and employment opportunities for people fishing. Oil has always been a major living in the region. This debate over focus of Siberian industry. During the Russia’s economic future in the region age of the Soviet Union, most began in 2013, when the Minister for production was centered in West Far Eastern Development was Siberia and was transported westward dismissed. The economic focus on the through huge pipelines. However with region quickly shifted from resource recent shifts in Russian strategic extraction to a focus on the interests from West to East, a larger manufacturing industry and the creation focus has been placed on Eastern of “Territories of Accelerated Siberian oil production. In 2011, a Development,” which were essentially pipeline from Siberia to the Pacific parts of the regions the government Coast with a spur line to China began would focus development efforts on operation. This coincided with over a specified period of time. increased production offshore in Sakhalin. The prospect of increasing oil Similarly to a variety of other economic exports to the Asian Pacific Region are projects being implemented in Russia, also not guaranteed though. The the Territories of Accelerated current rate of exports to the region is Development are not hardly showing comparatively small to Russia’s western signs of success. While the government exports. It is predicted that by 2050, does advertise several reasons for Russia will only hold about 15% of the investing in the territories such as tax energy market in the region. Other concessions, ease of gaining approvals, plans for the expansion of eastern oil good electricity connections, and and gas exports involve the “Altai competitively priced logistics and direction” which calls for the creation of transport, these regions have failed to an pipeline going east from the already attracted significant foreign investment developed fields in Western Siberia. from companies based in neighboring Coming off the back of declining Asian countries. Chinese and Japanese European markets, this pipeline would companies cite bad infrastructure, a go directly to the Chinese border. small domestic market, and high wages Problems arise from this, however, as 12

Russia also has a goal of expanding its mineral extraction in the Far East

the pipeline will come into the economy, transportation costs makes Northeastern Chinese border, an area up about 50% of all business with low infrastructure and high expenditures. Most of these expenses transportation costs. This pipeline comes from the high prices for would also benefits China more than transport demanded by Russian Russia, as the Chinese could demand Railways as exports are carried by rail lower prices as the pipeline would be to ports where they are shipped. Even if exclusively for the Chinese market. the cost for transport by rail was competitive, it is unlikely that these Russia also has a goal of expanding its railways can carry the capacity needed mineral extraction in the Far East to expand trade to the Pacific Region, through a series of projects targeted at nor is there enough investment in the specific precious metals. Most of these railways to expand their meager projects, however, are not projected to capacity. succeed. In the Far East, Russia has expanded its copper, iron, and coal This transport issue is one of the most production through investments from hotly debated topics in Russian Far the state, foreign investors, and Eastern economic affairs, mostly domestic companies. revolving around rail capacity, port capacity, and distance from rail to The problem that has always persisted resource extraction centers. The coal with Russian economic involvement in industry has heavily emphasized the the Pacific region, is the costly methods need for the development of the two of transport that are required in the main lines going east in order for them isolated and rough terrain of the region. to be competitive in the Pacific Region. In all parts of the Russian Far East These coal extractors alongside the 13 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 14

other mineral extractors have been intelligence with many of the other pressuring the government and the rail Indo-Pacific countries as well. These companies to make this development include the Philippines, Vietnam, of the railways a top priority. Port Indonesia, and others, some of which development is also something Russia are United States allies. With a rise in has to engage in if they are to be tension between China and the United competitive in the region. As of today, States, many countries in the Pacific most investment in the ports in the Far region have been searching for new East are coming from private investors, strategic partners, and Russia has and many companies are trying to begun to use their military to build pressure the government to invest in diplomatic and economic ties between these ports to cut back on the costs of countries as far as Fiji. transport. In the near-term, this strategy has Russian Military Presence in the resulted in Russia winning new markets Pacific for military exports, strategic access to Recently, under pressure from the new port facilities and airfields and West, Moscow has been utilizing their preferential treatment for Russian military to increase their presence in companies in other sectors. In the the pacific. From joint military exercises long-term, these efforts might also help with North Korea to military technology propel Russia's ambitions to become a agreements with China, Moscow has leading global power. The Russians been building a narrative that the 21st were "trying to present themselves century is the Russian century. militarily in the region not just as a

In the Indo-Pacific ocean, China and Russia have increased the amount of joint military exercises both on land and in the ocean.

With this unexpected breach in policy in Vostok, it is clear that with both China and Russia trying to find ways to place a check on the United States, Russia is pushing to be a bigger world player on the world stage once again. Using Beijing as a strong partner elevates the Russian position in negotiations with world leaders and the use of the combined Russian and Chinese militaries as a show of friendship, has created a strong and intimidating outlook to other countries.

Russia has also started to exchange military technology, arms, an 15 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

force that engages in traditional also brought reports that Russia might deterrence of the US and its allies but sell the Philippines two Kilo-class as a promoter of Russian capabilities," submarines, diesel-powered mainstays Alexey Muraviev, an expert in Russian of numerous world navies which Russia military affairs at Curtin University in has exported since 1985. The subs Western Australia, said. would be the Philippines' first, but the bigger news was the seller - the island A diplomatic pivot began in earnest in nation has traditionally looked to the 2012 - and hastened when Russia's United States, or American allies in military actions in Crimea and Syria Europe and East Asia to buy new prompted a flood of sanctions from the vessels. West. Yet, without the economic dynamism of China or the US, analysts While the US often imposes policy say Russia's toolset for projecting and expectations on would-be partners or accumulating influence abroad is clients - such as a government's limited. Even in the energy sector, attitude to human rights - Russia has resource-rich Russia has not kept pace few preconditions about other in the Asia-Pacific with exports from countries' domestic affairs. This was a China, the US and other regional key selling point for Indonesia, energy producers. according to Evan Laksmana, a senior researcher at the Jakarta-based Centre Russia retains a marked edge with its for Strategic and International Studies. military, however, which is the second Indonesia is a former ally of the Soviet strongest and most technologically Union, and Laksmana said the country's advanced globally, behind only the US. legacy familiarity with Russian In its Eastern Military District alone, equipment contributed to Russia's Russia boasts a diverse arsenal of desirability as a partner. Moscow also hi-tech land, air, and maritime assets, offers flexible financial terms on sales, including long-range bombers, including "soft loans" which carry top-of-the-line fighter jets and some of below-market interest rates. the quietest nuclear submarines in the world. Much of this firepower is Indonesia has also placed orders for directed as a strategic deterrent Russian Su-35 fighter jets, and in the towards the US and its allies. Barring meantime, Moscow has leveraged its the outbreak of major hostilities in the ties with the country to send clear East, though, Russia's military assets signals to its adversaries of Russia’s also serve to boost Russia's credibility expanding reach and influence. as a regional power. However, it is important to keep in mind Over the course of the past few years,. that Russia doesn’t want China to hold this policy has become more and more control over the Pacific any more than effective. Just recently, it was the United States does, and that announced that the Philippines Navy Beijing, just as much as the United would begin to hold military exchanges States, would want to push Moscow in the city of Vladivostok, home to the back into the shadows of the political Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet. October arena if they grew too strong as well. 16

With that, Russia would rather build a Russia understands that in order to multi-vectored security environment in become a more global player in policy the region than a policy of aggressive and influence, they need to find their unilateral actions. strengths and use that to their advantage, and while their military isn't In the Indian Ocean, Russia's interests quite as advanced and strong as the overlap with many countries in the United States, by using their military to region, in particular, India. "India's basic build these relationships, Russia has strategic synergy with Russia lies in its made significant strides towards support for a multipolar order, within increasing their power in the which [India] can continue to grow," Indo-Pacific Region. said Abhay Singh, a retired Indian Navy commodore and a fellow at the Institute Diplomatic Relations of the Russian for Defence Studies and Analyses in Federation in the Pacific New Delhi. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation did not For decades, India has been a reliable carry the same title of a world client for Russian arms sales. But recent superpower that was previously years have also seen dramatic enjoyed by the Soviet Union. As a improvements in the country's military result, the Russian Federation had to ties with the US, Japan and others. reexamine and rebuild many diplomatic Singh said India's strategic relationships it previously had in the diversification was vital to its interests Asia-Pacific Region. For example, while but stressed his country had no the Soviet Union relied heavily on intention of abandoning decades of military based relationships, recently, hard-won trust with Russia. the Russian Federation has turned to 17 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

economic and technological to find a middle ground. That being agreements to further Russia’s said, a peace agreement has yet to be diplomatic goals. signed, and the Kuril islands remain a point of unresolved contention Japan between Russia and Japan. Relations between Japan and Russia have been rocky since the nineteenth Philippines century. In 1855, the Treaty of Shimoda Russia initially expressed interest in was signed, which officially kick started developing ties in Southeast Asia in the diplomatic relations. However, at the early 19th century due to Russia’s need turn of the 20th century, the Soviet to ensure food and raw materials Union and Japan began to clash over security for Russia’s Far East. At the conflicts of interest in Korea and time, communication between the Manchuria. This rise in tensions Western end and Eastern parts of culminated in the Russo-Japanese war, Russia was difficult, and it was in St. which was declared in 1904, and won Petersburg’s best interest to make both by Japan. Following the Japanese ends of Russia self-sufficient. Trade victory, American President Theodore links between the Philippines and Roosevelt facilitated peace Russia formed, and later, diplomatic agreements. In the midst of World War relations developed. However following II, Japan and the Soviet Union signed a the October Revolution in 1917, document pledging to respect the relations deteriorated due to the sovereignty of the Japanese puppet restrictive policy of the American state, Manchuria, in 1941, but four years colonial administration of the later, the Soviet Union declared war on Philippines. Diplomatic ties were then Japan one week prior to Tokyo's initiated later, and formal ties were surrender. This scrapped the neutrality created in 1976. During the Cold War, agreement and allowed the Soviet the Philippines was a great ally in Union to seize the southern Kuril Southeast Asia to the United States. islands. In 1956, the two countries Following the collapse of the Soviet signed a treaty ending the state of war Union, the Philippines fully recognized and restoring diplomatic ties. The the Russian Federation as a legitimate Soviet Union returned two of the four power. Today, diplomatic relations islands in light of this treaty, which remain relevant, and relations primarily caused a major territorial disputes, as pertain to security matters. both Japan and the Soviet Union claimed the remaining two islands. No progress was made in reference to this China dispute during the Cold War, but after Russia overthrew the Tsar government the fall of the Berlin wall, the USSR in 1917, a revolution which would also finally agreed to find a diplomatic significantly alter Chinese history as solution. Progress toward a peace well. Upon the Bolshevik Revolution of treaty was made between 1993 and 1917, Moscow was taken over by the 2010, and reached a high pint when the communist group, the Bolsheviks. A Russian President Dmitry Medvedev civil war broke out between the visited one of the four disputed islands Bolsheviks, or the “reds”, and the 18

China’s Beiyang government sided with the anti-communist “Whites” and sent troops to aid in their fight against the Bolsheviks.

anti-communist “White” forces. China’s that revised fundamental Marxist Beiyang government sided with the principles. This lead to disputes over anti-communist “Whites” and sent control of communist states and troops to aid in their fight against the political movements. For example, in a Bolsheviks. The Reds won in 1922, 1969, there was an unofficial formulating the Soviet Union. The seven-month military conflict over Soviet government provided support to border disputes in northern China. a Chinese faction, the Kuomintang, that When Khrushchev was replaced by opposed the Beiyang government. The Brezhnev in 1964, Brezhnev cast aside Kuomintang was aligned with the many of the reforms that Mao objected Communist Party of China, which led to to, but this barely eased Sino-Soviet the Chinese Civil War. In 1949, the tensions, which would remain strained Communist Party of China won the war, until the death of Mao. Even after Mao’s per Soviet support. This led to the death, tensions continue to remain formation of an alliance between China high; in 1979, China invaded Vietnam, a and the Soviet Union. close ally of the Soviet Union. China also directly aided the anti-Soviet Following the death of Stalin, Nikita insurgent group in Afghanistan when Khrushchev assumed power. the Soviet Union invaded in the 1980s. Khrushchev denounced Stalin’s crimes and sparked ideological tensions Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of between China and the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union, and Deng Xiaoping, as the two regimes began to criticize China’s new leader, agreed to restore each other. The alliance officially ended diplomatic relations in 1982. Three in 1961, when Mao accused Soviet years later, Gorbachev became the leadership of revisionism, an ideology President of the USSR. He reduced the 19 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

number of garrisons at the Sino-Soviet The United States border and in Mongolia. Additionally, Following the collapse of the Soviet Gorbachev restimulated trade relations Union, the U.S. established diplomatic with China and dropped border ties with Russia, as well as many of disputes. other Eastern European nations, and sent emergency airlifts of food and Relations progressed even further in medicine to the former Soviet republics. 1991 when the Soviet Union was While Russia and the U.S. collaborated supplanted by the Russian Federation. on the International Space Station In 1992, the two countries declared that together, tensions rose over the Iraq they were pursuing a “constructive War, in which Russia vehemently partnership”, which became a “strategic opposed the American-led invasion of partnership”, and evolved to the signing Iraq. Other controversies arose in 2007, of a “Friendship and Cooperation” when Russia threatens to veto any Treaty in 2001. Today, the two American-backed plan that would grant countries work together militarily, Kosovo independence. In the same culturally, economically, and politically, year, Russian protests ignited over an as well as supporting each other with American plan to build an anti-ballistic respect to various global issues. missile system in Poland. The Magnitsky Act in 2008 imposed U.S. South Korea travel and financial restrictions on Today, many in South Korea view human rights abusers in Russia. modern Russia as synonymous to the Russian President Vladimir Putin then Soviet Union, the same Soviet Union signed an act which prevented the U.S. that provided both economic and from adopting children from Russia, material support to the North during the which is oftentimes seen as retaliatory. Korean War (1950-1953). Per this difficult separation, the two countries In 2014, the Ukraine Government did not commence relations until 1990. collapsed, and Russia annexed Crimea. In 1990, the Republic of Korea and the The U.S. Government imposed Russian Federation held both country’s sanctions on Russia based on their first summit together. After the collapse activity in Ukraine, and the American of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia and government also passed the Ukraine South Korea established diplomatic Freedom Support Act, which was aimed ties. Protocol was signed to ensure at depriving Russian state firms of regular talks between the defense financing and technology, as well as officials and naval vessels between the providing Ukraine with $350 million two countries. Both Russia and South dollars worth of arms and military Korea participate in the Six-Party Talks, equipment. Dispute arose again in a series of meetings aimed to find a 2016, over the Syrian Civil War, in which peaceful resolution to security Russian and Syrian troops continued concerns, with respect to the North offense in Aleppo. That same day, Putin Korean nuclearization. cited the U.S. for failure to comply and for their unfriendly actions that threatened “strategic stability”. 2016 also proved another spike in tensions 20

between the U.S. and Russia, as of State Controlled industries also led American intelligences accused the to huge wealth inequality, as crime Russian government of being behind bosses and Yeltsin’s insiders cyber-attacks and leaks that targeting consolidated control over new private the U.S. 2016 election. corporations, thus creating the infamous Russian oligarchs. This Domestic Issues economic instability eventually led to political instability, where the Russian The Russian Economy people were almost willing to It can be argued that the collapse of the democratically elect the Communist Soviet Union led to one of Russia’s Party back into power in the 1996 worst ever economic periods since the elections. However due to an increase fall of tsarist Russia. Russia, having lost in US and IMF financial aid to both the most of its allies and access to the Yeltsin campaign and injections into the other economies of the republics Russian economy itself, Yeltsin was encompassing the former Soviet Union, able to win by a slim margin. Yeltsin’s resulted in the country’s transition to continued unpopularity led to the rise capitalism being one of the greatest of Vladimir Putin for his first presidency economic failures of the late 20th in the early 2000s. Century. Russia’s leader at the beginning of this transition, Boris Russia today is still recovering from the Yeltsin, followed radical free market 2008 financial crisis, which rocked the economic policies prescribed to him by Russian economy. Before the 2008 the US and the IMF. A lack of Soviet financial crisis, Russia was normalizing price controls led to hyperinflation and from its post-soviet crisis. This can an economic crisis in 1998. Privatisation easily be seen in the difference in 21 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

annual GDP growth; going into 2008, Even though the vast amount of Russia had an average GDP growth of Russians still experience a living 6.9%, which then dropped to just 0.7% standard worse than their soviet in 2009. Experts argue that Russia predecessors, the overall Russian needs to diversify its economy if it economy is continuing its period of wants to be competitive in a globalized recovery. Russia, a nation who is facing world; Russia still relies heavily on huge sanctions from the west and natural resource extraction, and the relative political isolation as well, Russian government’s poor education provides a strange counter example for system, highly regulated industries, and those who argue that pressure from a high taxes fails to stimulate economic globalized economy leads to more growth. Some argue that this reliance political liberalisation. These sanctions on extractive industries is no accident have made it difficult for foreign or “curse” but is in fact a conscious investors to invest in Russian choice by Vladimir Putin and other businesses. Not only do the sanctions oligarchs to maintain their hold on that specifically target Russian power. Because of this centralization of businesses affiliated with the power that results from an undiversified government prevent foreign investment economy, Russia also has failed to in these businesses, all investments are properly allocate its wealth into social considered very risky on account of the welfare programs such as education geopolitical situation of the nation. and healthcare, while also cutting back These sanctions have also led to on pensions and decreasing the Russian companies and banks to rely retirement age. Change is unlikely to less on foreign debt. In response to the come to the Russian economy as long past drop of oil prices in 2016, Russia as private oligarchs wield so much has also increased its efforts to power in the realm of economic affairs. decrease the country’s dependence on oil. The government created the Another factor in Russia’s economic National Welfare Fund where oil priced slump is the effect of Western sanctions at above 40 dollars a barrel is saved for placed on Russia because of their long term investment. increased involvement in eastern Ukraine, their annexation of Crimea, Political Structure of Russia and the Russian government’s support Per the Russian Constitution, the for Syria’s current ruling government. President of Russia is the directly While these sanctions are meant to elected head of state. The President target the wealthy ruling class of Russia, then appoints a Prime Minister, who sanctions have stimed economic must be approved by the Cabinet. growth for the entire country. During Russia operates under a multi-party the last election, Vladimir Putin system, meaning there are multiple promised more investments in political parties up for national election. infrastructure, housing, and other public Political parties that are represented goods, however, this promise has not under the federal parliament, the State come to fruition as many are skeptical Duma, are: as to where the government would get the funding for these projects. United Russia, led by Putin and 22

United Russia is a right wing political party that values conservatism and Russian nationalism.

Medvedev, is a right wing political party party built off of the principle of social that values conservatism and Russian democracy, the socioeconomic and nationalism. They also promote statism, political ideology that supports the belief that the state should control economic and social intervention to economic and/or social policy to some advance social justice, all within the degree. boundaries of capitalism.

Communist party, which upholds Civic Platform, which is a center right Marxist-Leninist values. Such values party that supports the idea of liberal were the same values held by the conservatism, a political ideology that former Soviet Union. The Communist combines conservative policy with Party is a far-left party. liberal views. This hybrid allows liberal views on ethical issues and other social Liberal Democratic Party, which is a issues to be taken into account, far-right party built off of creating a brand of conservatism with ultranationalism, the assertion of Russia liberal aspects. as a nation and pride in their cultural identity, pan-slavism, which is Rodina, which is a party that was built concerned with the advancement of off of nationalism, patriotism, and an Slavic speaking people, and increase in the government’s activity in imperialism, the practice of extending the economy. The Rodina Party has power by way of directly taking territory been prohibited from taking part in or gaining political/economic elections in previous years, due to momentum in a particular region. advertisements that incite racial hatred.

A Just Russia, which is a center-left The main office holders of the 23 THE CABINET of THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

executive branch are President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. President Vladimir Putin has been a dominant political figure since his election in 2000. He served two terms as President, followed by a four year term as Prime Minister, and won Presidency in both 2012 and 2018. Since his re-election, Russian policy has only tightened media control, which makes stifling any sort of opposition movement an easy task for Putin. In order to attract domestic support, Putin adopted nationalist principles and reminds Russia of the Soviet-era. By this, he incites nationalism, and instills anti-west sentiments within the Russian people.

In June 2017, many Russian people took the streets, protesting the current leadership, specifically Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who was accused of corruption and of amassing a “corruption empire”, full of luxury yachts, vineyards, and properties. Medvedev has denied such accusations. This was a significant protest, as rallies in Russia must be approved by the government, therefore this secret protest that sprung up that June day was important because it revealed that many people had strong feelings against this sort of corruption. RUSSIA | POSITION 001 Dmitry Patrushev Minister of Agriculture

Date of Birth: 10/13/1977 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Dmitry Patrushev was born in Leningrad (modern-day St. Petersburg) on 13 October 1977. He is the son of Nikolai Patrushev, former FSB Director and current Secretary of the Russian Security Council. In 1999, Dmitry graduated from State University of Management with a degree in Management. From 1999 to 2002 he worked in the Ministry of Transport. From 2002 to 2004 he studied at the Diplomatic Academy specializing in world economic affairs and studies. In 2003, while studying at the St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance, he defended his thesis for the degree of economic sciences on the topic "Organizational and economic basis for the development of the process approach to quality management of research organizations." In 2004 he joined VTB Bank and by 2006 he graduated from the FSB Academy. In 2007, he was appointed the position of senior Vice President of VTB Bank. In 2008, while studying at the St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance, he defended his thesis for a doctorate in economic sciences on "State and market regulators in the formation and implementation of industrial policy: on the materials of natural monopolies of the fuel and energy complex". From 2010 to 2018 he was Chairman of the Board and member of the Supervisory Board of the Russian Agricultural Bank. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of the Gazprom Board of Directors. On 18 May 2018, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture.

As Minister of Agriculture, he has implemented agricultural trade initiatives with Tajikistan to boost trade ties in Central Asia. He has also pushed for government cooperation with Russia’s largest grain producers and exporters as well as implementing a policy encouraging agricultural development in the Russian region of Dagestan.

Patrushev has important connections, such as: close relationships with bankers in the Russian financial sector, contacts with the directors on the board of Gazprom, he is the on of important Russian state security official, and is still in contact with people within the Ministry of Transport. Duties of the Ministry include: Being responsible for support of agricultural production, overseeing rural development, regulating agricultural markets, ensuring financial stabilization of farming sectors, managing soil conservation initiatives, supervising the federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, and managing state properties and enterprises related to the state agricultural sectors. RUSSIA | POSITION 001

Overt Powers:

As Minister, can authorize the distribution of funds for agricultural development initiatives from the ministry’s annual budget.

As Minister, can implement policy at state enterprises under the ministry’s authority.

As Minister, can order meetings with companies and entities that are doing business in the Russian agricultural sector. RUSSIA | POSITION 002 Yevgeny Zinichev Minister of Emergency Situations

Date of Birth: 8/18/1966 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Born in 1966 in St. Petersburg, after graduating from high school, he was enlisted into the Soviet military and he served in the Northern Fleet at Novaya Zemlya, an arctic ocean archipelago region in Northern Russia. Later in 1987, Zinichev served in the Soviet KGB, the primary security agency of the Soviet Union. Later in 1991, Zinichev worked for the KGB successor agency the FSB, which is the main security agency of the new Russian nation. Zinichev, while working for the FSB, he studied and graduated from the St. Petersburg Institute of Business and Law with a degree in Economics and Finance. Started working for the Federal Guard Service in 2006. As part of the Federal Guard Service, he became a bodyguard in Putin’s Presidential Security Service. From 2012 to 2013, Zinichev studied at the Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

From 2014 to 2015, he became deputy head of the Service for Combating Terrorism of the FSB. From 2015 to 2016, he was appointed head of the FSB department for the Kaliningrad region. In 2016, he was appointed the acting governor of Kaliningrad region. Zinichev served as governor for two and a half months. After his governorship ended, he became the deputy director of the FSB and was appointed to the rank of lieutenant general. He became Minister of Emergency Situations in 2018 at the beginning of Vladimir Putin’s latest term in office.

Zinichev’s connections include: a close working relationship with Vladimir Putin, relationships with officials working in Russian state security agencies, connections with military officers due to his past military career, former friends in Kaliningrad. Duties of the Ministry include: Administering military service in the rescue military units under contract for service in the Federal fire service, overseeing the establishment of requirements for the level of education, profession and the direction of training for people within rescue military units and Federal fire service, supervising the activities of the Federal fire service, the State Inspectorate for small vessels, rescue and other units and manages the rescue military formations, planning for the construction and deployment of military units that are involved with other ministry activities and organize their composition and personnel recruitment, managing the Civil Defense and Search and rescue Service, and overseeing control over Central Air-Mobile Rescue Team. RUSSIA | POSITION 002

Overt Powers

As Minister, can order the deployment of military, police units, Federal Fire Service, and State Inspectorate as it related to disaster response and in the event of an emergency situations

As Minister, can organize cooperation with foreign countries and international organization for disaster response and management, and other emergency situations

As Minister, can order actions aimed at eliminating the consequences of large-scale disasters, catastrophes, and other emergencies RUSSIA | POSITION 003 Anton Siluanov Minister of Finance

Date of Birth: 4/12/1963 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography As Minister of Finance, Siluanov oversees the federal executive body responsible for the Russian economy as well as for regulation of the nation’s budget, taxes, banking, and public debt. The Ministry of Finance is the central hub for all things related to money, whether on a macroeconomic scale or on a more individual scale (pensions, insurance, etc). It also is responsible for implementing the budget and therefore funding public services. The Ministry identifies its key issues as public debt, macroeconomics as state policy, the National Wealth Fund, management of international financial affairs and international cooperation, and accounting and auditing. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for managing international business cooperation, but it should be noted that it is not directly responsible for overseeing international trade and is instead focused on domestic financial policy. Therefore, much of the work done by the departments within the Ministry is on domestic issues. The Minister not only oversees these operations, but also serves as an advisor on financial policy for Prime Minister Putin.

Additionally, Minister Siluanov represents Russia in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where Russia holds a seat on the Executive Board. Despite this position, Russia is not a large contributor to IMF projects, compared to other nations involved in the organization.

Prior to his appointment to Minister, Siluanov served in the Soviet Army and Finance Ministry of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Since the fall of the USSR and founding of the Russian Foundation, Siluanov has worked within the Russian Ministry of Finance as both a Director for Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations and for Macroeconomic Policy and as the Deputy Finance Minister. He was also the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Public Joint Stock Company ALROSA from July 15, 2015 to July 7, 2017, and is currently a member of its Supervisory Board. He also has extensive connections in the baking community and has served as a board member for several Russian-owned banks.

During the 2014 Crimean crisis, many Western countries placed sanctions on Russia, targeting specific individuals who were shareholders in Russian banks. During the same year, MasterCard and Visa declined transactions at these same banks due to a misinterpretation of the sanctions. In response to this, Minister Siluanov told reporters he was moving to focus on developing a Russian alternative card payment system that would end dependence on Western companies such as Visa and MasterCard. President Vladimir Putin supported this decision and explained that is was necessary to defend Russian interests. RUSSIA | POSITION 003

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is responsible for funding public services within the Russian Federation and implementing other aspects of the budget.

As Minister, he works to coordinate businesses cooperation within the domestic economy.

As Minister, he serves as the chief financial adviser to Vladimir Putin, giving him a close working relationship with the Russian president. RUSSIA | POSITION 004

Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov Minister of Foreign Affairs

Date of Birth: 3/21/1950 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles all matters of international relations in the Russian Federation, including the drafting and implementation of policy and regulation of legal matters on the global stage. The ministry is currently under the leadership of Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov.

One of Russia’s longest-serving minister of foreign affairs, Lavrov’s sophistication and strength at the negotiation table throughout the diplomatic community, and his hot temper has earned him some notoriety. Before his appointment to the head of the foreign ministry, he served as Russia’s representative to the United Nations in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, he served as the deputy minister of foreign affairs, during which time he oversaw the administration of government organizations such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the country’s human rights and economic councils. In fact, his experience with both Russian and Soviet foreign affairs dates all the way back to the 1970s when he worked for a time at the Sri Lankan embassy shortly after graduating from the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations. This wealth of experience earned him notoriety as an actor on the world stage, and that is what lead to his 2004 appointment by Vladimir Putin to his current seat at the Russian cabinet.

In his current position, Lavrov oversees not only the aforementioned governmental organizations and partnerships, but also international economic policy, crisis management, matters of national security and counterterrorism, among other matters of international importance or otherwise relating to Russia’s place in global politics. He is responsible for negotiating the treaties and deals that affect this position.

From the Ukraine crisis in 2014 to the North Korean crisis in 2017, Minister Lavrov has overseen a myriad of crises that have played out and are still unfolding on the world stage over the course of his long tenure. And he is currently a key figure in the negotiations with the United States over the ongoing military conflict in Syria. With this knowledge, his voice is crucial as Russia navigates the current situation between itself and the United States as well as the rising tensions between the United States and North Korea.

Minister Lavrov and his wife, Maria, have one daughter, Ekaterina, a son-in-law, Alexander, and a grandson, Leonid. His entire family is highly educated: Maria has a degree in language studies, his daughter was educated at Columbia University, and RUSSIA | POSITION 004

Alexander is a Cambridge graduate. Lavrov himself is fluent in three languages aside from Russian. He is is a major sports fan, often watching football in his spare time when he is not at the Kremlin or abroad implementing major policy.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, Lavrov is in charge of the legal regulation of foreign affairs between Russia and the outside world.

As Minister, he is in charge of drafting policy proposals and implementing policy within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As Minister, he is responsible for opening and continuing negotiations with foreign countries. RUSSIA | POSITION 005 Alexander Konovalov Minister of Justice

Date of Birth: 6/9/1968 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Alexander Vladimirovich Konovalov was born on June 9, 1968 in Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) to a family of a military seaman. After completing his mandatory service to the Soviet Army from 1986-88, he attended Saint Petersburg State University, where he graduated with a J.D. and eventual Ph.D. defending his thesis for the Kandidat of Jurisprudence on the theme of "Possession and Possessory Protection in Civil law." After graduating, he went on to served as an assistant to the prosecutor and eventual examining magistrate (or investigator) of the Vyborg District, Saint Petersburg until 1994. He continued to climb the ladder in this way, as from 1995 to 1997 he was chief at the Department of the Municipal Office of the Public Prosecutor for the Supervision of Law Implementation on Federal Security. In 1997-1998 Konovalov served as deputy public prosecutor of the Moscow region of St. Petersburg, and then served as public prosecutor of the same region from 1998 to 2001. From 2001 to 2005 he was deputy, then First deputy of the Office of the Public Prosecutor for St. Petersburg where he supervised the investigatory divisions. He took part in the investigation of some sensational cases, including the case in April 2003 regarding the assault and battery of traffic police officer Alexei Popov by the Governor of Nenets Autonomous Region, Vladimir Butov. In December 2004 the Petrograd Regional court of St. Petersburg gave the governor a conditional sentence of 3 years' imprisonment. Furthermore, in the same month Butov was denied the possibility to run for the post as head of Nenets region for a third term.

On November 14, 2005 Konovalov was appointed as the Presidential Plenipotentiary (or Diplomat) Envoy to the Volga Federal District (PFO) by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shortly after his appointment however, Konovalov was embroiled in a scandal during the Russia Day celebrations of June 12, 2005 in the Volga Federal District. The head of the Directorate on Islamic Faith of Nizhegorod Region (DUMNO) Umar Idrisov accused the plenipotentiary of discrimination of muslims in favor of the Russian Orthodox Church (RPTs). More specifically, Idrisov reproached Konovalov for not inviting him to the Russia Day celebrations, having already invited local Orthodox hierarch Georgiy to attend the festivities. Konovalov did not give a public statement in reaction to Idrisov’s comments but began to be more attentive to the Muslim community in the region as Konovalov would to go on to attend a session of the Russia-Islamic World Symposium; moreover, he would declare that the “Islamic tradition is a very important and undeniable factor in a stable and happy existence for mankind.” RUSSIA | POSITION 005

Three years later, on May 12th, 2008 under the new government headed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Konovalov was made Minister for Justice, and currently holds the rank of senior justice adviser within the branches of the Ministry of Justice of Russia. Not only that, he is a member of the Security Council of Russia and of the Presidential Council for Implementation of the National Priority Projects and of Demographic Policy.

As Minister of Justice, Mr. Konovalov’s job involves engaging in the elaboration and implementation of public policies and regulatory control, as well as performing law enforcement duties and functions of control and supervision in the areas of: execution of criminal penalties, registering non-profit organizations, including the offices of international organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations, public associations, political parties and religious organizations, as well as providing information about them, advocacy, as well as combating corruption by help of the Prosecutor General of Russia. In recent news, Konovalov took part in the work of the plenary session of the UN Human Rights Council, which examined the results of the Russian Federation's passing the next stage of the Universal Periodic Review procedure, including the results of the May 14, 2010 meeting on the protection of the third national report on the human rights situation. In the course of his speech, the Minister confirmed and stressed the commitment of the Russian Federation to a procedure of economic, social and cultural rights with a Universal Periodic Review as a unique UN monitoring mechanism to provide ample opportunities for the exchange of positive experience and modern developments in the field of the promotion and protection of human rights. It is specially noted that the work of all state institutions of the Russian Federation will be directed towards achieving these goals, including within the framework of the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on national goals and strategic development tasks for the period up to 2024, including ensuring sustainable natural population growth, and life expectancy among other things.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is in charge of directing the Ministry of Justice to carry out investigations within the executive branch.

As Minister, Konovalov can direct the implementation of criminal penalties and register various organizations.

As Minister, he is tasked with fighting corruption within the government and ensuring a fair democratic process. RUSSIA | POSITION 006 Sergei Shoigu Minister of Defense

Date of Birth: 5/21/1955 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Sergei Shoigu is the current Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, overseeing a vast and modern military force with the aid of the President and the General Staff. Shoigu himself is a career politician, having served in the Soviet government as an engineer and architect functionary. He gained popularity after the fall of the Soviet Union for his willingness to get into the midst of national crises after his appointment to the post within the Ministry of Emergency Situations. This popularity allowed him to springboard into the position of Governor of the Moscow Oblast (an Oblast is very roughly analogous to a state in the US.) Shoigu’s appointment as Minister of Defense was the result of political maneuvering of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Having recently given the boot to his former ally and Minister of Defense Anatoliy Serdyukov, Putin was under pressure from a group of relatively powerful military and government bureaucrats to appoint one of them to the now vacant position. Rather than acquiesce, which would afford more power to the group in the delicate balancing act of Russian politics, Putin instead tapped Shoigu to occupy the position in a deliberate attempt to counteract their wishes by placing a non-miilitary outsider in the office.

As the Minister of Defense, Shoigu occupies a position that is as political as it is martial. Nominally in charge of carrying out presidential authority through the ranks of the military, the Minister also has to carefully balance the wishes of the military against that of the government, as the military has proven willing and able to act against the government if situations become sour enough, as was the case in 1991. The Minister of Defense is in charge of managing all aspects of military life including overseeing all hiring, equipping, training, care, and feeding of military personnel. As a result of recent reform efforts, the Minister of Defense also has become the chief overseer of the General Staff, and as a result has wide jurisdiction over both characterizing threats to the Russian Federation that service chiefs will respond to, and can further create directives and plans directly for the Armed Services if he so chooses. It is important to note that as a result of recent reforms the entire system of the Russian Military has become extremely centralized, and even the best-intentioned of the the Minister of Defense’s plans can be easily overwritten by the President. Therefore, the Minister has to perform double duty in both drafting RUSSIA | POSITION 006 plans and directives while at the same time convincing the President of the Russian Federation that these plans are worth pursuing, and would not lead to more political tension between the government and the military.

Overt Powers:

Military Directives: The MoD has an important role of reforming the military and controlling the logistics of equipping and supplying all branches of the military. This includes policy for organization of the military

Overseer of the General Staff: You have the ability to define threats to the Russian Federation, something that the president takes acute notice of. These also allow plans to be drawn up by the various chiefs of the Armed Services, for further implementation

Drafting plans: the office of the MoD can also independently draft military plans for implementation… at the discretion of the President, of course. RUSSIA | POSITION 007 Vladimir Kolokoltsev Minister of Internal Affairs

Date of Birth: 5/11/1961 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography The Minister of Internal Affairs acts as the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The Minister of Internal Affairs is appointed by the President of Russia with the consent and advice of the Russian Prime Minister. The Minister of Internal Affairs in Russia serves as a federal executive body that drafts and implements government policy. At the same time it implements legal regulations in the fields of internal affairs. Some of the departments found within the Ministry of Internal Affairs are: Department of Civil Service and Personnel; Department of Information Technologies, Communications, and Information Protection; Treaty and Law Department and many more. The Current Russian Minister of Internal Affairs is the Russian politician Vladimir Kolokoltsev. He assumed his role and was sworn in on May 21, 2012

He was born on May 11, 1961 in Nizhny Lomov, Penza Region. In 1982 he entered the police service and worked for the Department of the Interior Ministry. His career began when he obtained a position in a special unit that guarded foreign diplomatic missions in Moscow. Two years later, he was appointed platoon commander of the patrol battalion of the Gagarinskiy district executive committee in Moscow. He began studying in the Higher Political College of the Ministry of the Interior of the USSR, which was named after the 60th anniversary of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League. and graduated from this college in 1989 with a degree in Jurisprudence. From 1989 to 1992 he served as officer of the criminal investigation department of the Interior Ministry’s Directorate for the Kuntsevsky District Executive Committee of Moscow. He was also the Deputy Head of the 20th Militia Station of Moscow and the head of the 8th Militia Station of Moscow. From April to September 2009 he became the first Deputy Head of the Interior Ministry’s Criminal Investigation Department. Kolokoltsev served as the Moscow Police Commissioner from 2009 to 20012. On November 2015 he was promoted to the rank of Major general of the Police by the Presidential Executive Order.

On April 2018, the Trump administration imposed new sanctions to 38 individuals and companies that are close to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Within these, seven were Russian oligarchs and 17 were government officials. Amid some of the sanctioned was the state-owned Russian weapons trading company, Rosoboronexport, who had strong and long-standing ties to Syria. Additionally, among the government officials on the list was Vladimir Kolokoltsev. According to the Trump administration these sanctions were created in response to Russia’s global patterns of “malign activities”. They were some of the steps made by RUSSIA | POSITION 007 the US to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle for interfering in the 2016 elections as well as other aggressions in Syria, Crimea and Ukraine.

He is married and has a son and a daughter. He holds the degree of Doktor Nauk of Law, which is a higher doctoral degree. Additionally he holds the rank of “Honored Officer of Internal Affairs Authorities”.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is charged with stopping the traffic of illicit drugs into the Russian Federation.

As Minister, he is responsible for making agreements between different domestic agencies.

As Minister, he can grant scholarships to individuals based on merit. RUSSIA | POSITION 008 Denis Manturov Minister of Industry & Trade

Date of Birth: 2/23/1969 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Denis Manturov is the current Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation who was appointed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in 2012. Denis was born in Murmansk, Russia in 1969. This town in northern Russia served as a vital link to the west during World War Two that allowed the allies to send weapons and supplies to the Russians. In 1997 Manturov completed a Ph.D. in economics from Moscow State University. He followed that by completing a doctoral program at the Moscow Aviation Institute in 2002 and then in 2006 he graduated from the Presidential Academy of Public Administration with a law degree in 2006.

From 1998 – 2000 Manturov served as the Deputy Director General of the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. Then in 2000, he became the Business Director of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. In 2001 Manturov became Deputy Chairman of the State Investment Corporation (Gosincor). In 2003 he was elevated to Director General of the aerospace company Oboronprom. In 2007 Manturov was appointed as Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy. In 2008 he was made Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry; he would become the Minister of Trade and Industry by a presidential decree in 2012 after the previous minister resigned.

As minister Manturov has helped with Putin’s agenda of re-establishing the Russian Federation as a global superpower. The ministry that Manturov is responsible for trade and defense policy simultaneously. Manturov’s expertise in the areas of aviation has made him well suited to the defense aspect of his job as well as helping maintain Russia’s aviation industry. Manturov also sits on the board of directors for the United Aircraft Corporation which is set to unveil the new MC-21 passenger aircraft.

On the subject of trade Manturov has aggressively expanded trade partnerships with China. The Russia-China investment fund that was created in 2012 has already invested 1.1 billion (U.S. dollars) in 25 different projects. During the first seven months of 2018, there was 60 billion (U.S. dollars) of trade between Russia and China which was up 30 percent from the same time frame of the previous year. This Russian-Chinese alliance that Manturov has helped grow is becoming a form of industrial protectionism that is attempting to stand against the west. RUSSIA | POSITION 008

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is charged with developing and expanding existing industry within Russia.

As Minister, he is responsible for establishing bilateral trade partnerships with foreign countries.

As Minister, he can create investment funds with foreign nations to expand Russia’s influence in global markets. RUSSIA | POSITION 009 Dmitry Medvedev Prime Minister

Date of Birth: 9/14/1965 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Dmitry Medvedev is the former President and the current Chairman of Government/ Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Medvedev began his professional career as a lawyer where he met Putin when Medvedev was a lawyer in the Saint Petersburg office of external affairs. He has served as Chief of Staff to Putin and chairman of Gazprom before becoming Prime Minister. He served as President for one term because Putin was prevented as serving as President for two consecutive terms by the Russian constitution.

Medvedev as President was deeply alarmed by the first North Korean nuclear test. Also when he served as President of Russia, he held face to face meetings with the former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Medvedev is extremely loyal to President Putin, and has never criticized or stood against Putin. His personal statements on North Korea are limited, but he can always be counted on to support the Putin administration.

Medvedev has acknowledged that Russia is a one party state, but has insisted that he and Putin are not oppressive leaders. Near the end of his presidency, he was concerned about, “the degradation of the Russian political system.” Medvedev was also the President of Russia during a controversial time. In 2009, Sergei Magnitsky was murdered by the Russian state for exposing corruption in Gazprom and the Russian government. Putin not Medvedev was blamed for the death of Magnitsky. Medvedev used the scheme exposed by Magnitsky to launch an anti-corruption agenda that does not appear extremely successful from the outside. Medvedev was a substantially less oppressive and more liberal leader than Putin but is still very loyal to him.

Medvedev is a supporter of Russia’s expansion into the arctic. He believes that the energy resources in the arctic are important to be developed and utilized to improve Russia’s economy. He has also stated that the arctic can be used to help improve transportation. Furthermore, Medvedev has also wanted to see documents published with detailed policy proposals on how to best use the arctic. Overall, he thinks it is imperative for Russia to be able to utilize the arctic. Also Medvedev believes that Russia should defend and militarily expand its basis in the arctic.

In conclusion, Medvedev will tend to follow Putin, but is more liberal when it comes to political oppression. He is very aggressive in his stance on arctic expansion and believes it is critical for Russia to have a foothold in the arctic. Essentially, he is a more liberal Putin. RUSSIA | POSITION 009

Overt Powers:

As Prime Minister, Medvedev is in charge of setting the priorities of the Russian Duma (parliament).

As Prime Minister, he nominates government officers to submit to the president in regard to appointments within the administration.

As Prime Minister, he signs acts into law and has an important vote within the Duma. RUSSIA | POSITION 010

Alexander Valentinovich Novak Minister of Energy

Date of Birth: 8/23/1971 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Alexander Valentinovich Novak was born August 23rd, 1971 in the Donetsk region of the Ukranian SSR. In 1993 he graduated from Norilsk Industrial Institute as a specialist on Economy and Management in Metallurgy. Before receiving his masters in Management in 1993 from Lomonosov Moscow State University, Novak was the Head of the Financial Bureau of the Accounting Department of the Norilsk Mining and Smelting Complex and after that, he headed the tax planning department of the complex. After he received his degree, he served as Norilsk Deputy Mayor for economics and finance. Then, between 2002 and 2007, he was head of the Main Finance Management of the Krasnoyarsk Krai Administration, Deputy Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Krai and Head of the Main Finance Authority of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. Finally, before being elected to his current position, he was Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation and in May 2012 he was ultimately appointed as the Energy Minister in Dmitry Medvedev's Cabinet.

After splitting from the Department of Industry, the Department of Energy in Russia is “...responsible for drafting and implementing government policy and legal regulation in the oil and fuel sector, including issues related to the electric power industry, providing state services, and managing state property in the production and use of natural resources.” In the most recent news, the department has set an objective to maximize the effective use of natural energy resources and the potential of the energy sector to sustain economic growth, improve the quality of life of the population and promote the strengthening of foreign economic positions of the country. The Strategy determines objectives and goals of the Russian energy sector long-term development for the upcoming period, its priorities and guidelines, as well as mechanisms of the state energy policy at the implementation phases of the Strategy ensuring the realization of the stated objectives until 2030.

In addition to this, in September, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry met with the Novak where the two leaders discussed ways in which America and Russia, two of the world’s top producers of natural gas and leading producers of oil can work together to ensure world energy market stability, transparency, and sustainability. Secretary Perry also expressed his disappointment and concern about Russia’s continued attempts to infiltrate the American electric grid. Finally, he discussed the mutual responsibility the two nations have to ensure that nuclear power is managed for peaceful purposes. Secretary Perry also made it clear that while the United RUSSIA | POSITION 010

States welcomes competition with Russia in energy markets across Europe, Asia and elsewhere, Moscow can no longer use energy as an economic weapon. With its new efforts, the Ministry has also begun a contest with a view to stimulating development of social policies in organizations, identifying, studying and sharing experiences of the organizations that put intense effort into pursuing social agenda, seeking high effectiveness in addressing socially oriented challenges, improving the quality of working and living conditions of employees, as well as with a view to raising awareness that the energy industry is committed to the social partnership philosophy.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is in charge of drafting energy policy for the Russian Federation.

As Minister, he oversees the regulation of the Russian energy sector.

As Minister, he is in charge of national energy utilities and the distribution of their services. RUSSIA | POSITION 011 Yevgeny Dietrich Minister of Transportation

Date of Birth: 9/8/1973 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Minister of Transport Yevgeny Dietrich is from a town near Moscow and received a degree in Applied Mathematics at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute. He later also obtained a Law degree at the Higher School of Privatization. Prior to becoming Minister of Transport, Dietrich had a long career in the Russian government. He initially began in smaller departments within larger ministry and did not work on issues related to transportation. He began as an advisor, then Deputy Chief, and then Chief of the Department of the State Committee for State Property Management of Russia. He then moved to the Department of Normative and Methodological Support of the Ministry of Property Relations of Russia, where he worked as a Deputy Chief and Department Chief. He also worked for a short time as the Deputy Director of the Department of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. After this position, Dietrich began to move more in the direction of transportation. He served as the Deputy Chief of the Federal Road Agency and then Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Infrastructure of the Russian Government. This trend continued as Dietrich specialized even further in transportation by heading the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Transport. Dietrich joined the Ministry of Transport in October of 2015, where he served as the First Deputy Minister for almost three years. He was appointed to Minister on May 18th, 2018. Each of these offices allowed now Minister Dietrich to develop ties with coworkers and superiors and therefore serves as a part of his extended networks of contacts.

As Minister of Transport, Dietrich oversees the agency in charge of coordinating public policies and legal regulations regarding transportation on land, at sea, and in the air. On land, this includes maintaining infrastructure of roads and overseeing of railroads, urban metro systems, and industrial transport. The ministry also coordinates sea and inland waterway transport and commercial aviation, aeronautical search and rescue, and the operation of hydraulic facilities. A large portion of these operations in the maintenance of safe and secure passage for Russian goods and people.

He is generally seen as pro-industry and promotes the use of coal, and other fossil fuels. He is a proponent of independent Russian energy to fuel the transportation industry. One such example of this was his visit to the recently expanded JSC “Eastern Port.” During his highly publicized visit, the minister toured the port and was shown the details of the coal transshipment enterprise. This included a viewing of models of the coal complex and a handling of the specialized equipment at the port. RUSSIA | POSITION 011

Minister Dietrich holds three major awards. He has the Order of Honour as well as an official Thanks from the Russian Government. Furthermore, he holds a Badge as an “Honorary Worker of Transport of Russia.” These awards show that Dietrich is a decorated member of Russian society, although he is not a high level autocrat by any measure. Minister Dietrich has a very private family life. He is married and has three children, although the members of his family do not often hold in public appearances.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, Dietrich is in charge of ensuring Russian transportation infrastructure is well-functioning and up-to-date.

As Minister, he uses the Ministry to coordinate schedules for trains, planes, and ships within Russia.

As Minister, he is charged with creating new policies and regulations for the private transportation industry. RUSSIA | POSITION 012 Sergei Donskoy Minister of Natural Resources & Environmental Protection

Date of Birth: 10/13/1968 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection is charged with maintaining forest land, natural resources, and wildlife protection in the Russian Federation. However, everything from energy safety, exploration, water supply, and mineral safety also fall under the responsibility of the Ministry. According to its website, the Ministry is responsible for drafting all laws and policies related to hunting and forestry regulations. But it is also charged with environmental monitoring, especially when it comes to radiation control and statuses of different wildlife zones.

49-year-old Sergei Donskoy has been the head of this ministry for nearly seven years. A graduate of the Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas in Moscow, he has the perfect education for such a position. During his tenure as minister, he was the head of Russia’s affairs in the Arctic, during which time he headed Russian expansion into the Arctic Shelf. Also playing a role in Russia’s Ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement, he proposed an environmental protection component of this expansion.

He additionally improved Russia’s weather forecasting system during his tenure, allowing for better warning of natural disasters around the country. That being said, Donskoy has a wealth of business experience, especially in the oil industry. In the 1990s, he was promoted by his brother-in-law to CEO of a major Russian oil company. This experience proves useful, as part of his job includes working closely with the biggest oil and forestry businesses in order to ensure continued economic stability alongside environmental protection. The ministry also oversees the actions of the mineral and hydrometeorology industries. In spite of these business connections, his devotion to the environment is undeniable, as several charities and environmental protection non-profit organizations have reached out to him in an effort to strengthen ecological policies in Siberia.

Recently, some of the most major issues faced by the ministry have been climate change, and deforestation in the Siberian taiga, both of which have major implications for both the ecosystem and the Russian economy. RUSSIA | POSITION 012

Donskoy is known for his devotion to his job, only taking breaks from work on Sundays, likely for church service. On these days, he prefers to spend time with his wife, a music teacher named Tatiana, and his two children at one of their Moscow apartments. But his devotion to Russian wildlife goes beyond his post as natural resources and environmental protection, for one of his favorite hobbies--other than sports--is fishing. And even then, it is a mere side hobby. Having never caught especially large fish, his accomplishments in the sport is modest at best.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he implements fishing and hunting regulations.

As Minister, he enforces safety laws in mining, forestry, and other ecological industries within Russia.

As Minister, he is charged with assessing environmental conditions and ensuring the environment is adequately protected. RUSSIA | POSITION 013 Veronika Skvortsova Minister of Health

Date of Birth: 11/1/1960 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Veronika Skvortsova was born in 1960 to a family well known in Russia in the medical and scientific field. She was a precocious child, earning straight A’s throughout her life and eventually attending Second Moscow University in the pediatric faculty. In 1988 she received her PhD from the same school. She then worked as a senior laboratory assistant, and later as associate professor. In 1999 she helped found the National Stroke Association. Since 2005 she has directed research for the Russian journal, Stroke, in the Russian National Research Medical University.

Skvortsova was appointed Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development for the Russian Federation, and later in 2012, became Minister of Health. In this position, she’s carried out numerous reforms, adopting anti-smoking laws and motivating people across the nation to lead healthy, exercise-filled lives. Her work also centers around non-communicable diseases. She’s authored over 400 research papers and currently holds seven patents. In 2017, Skvortsova was almost unanimously elected the 70th President of the World Health Organization.

As Minister of Health, her department focuses on several tasks relating to the health of the nation. The governmental body is responsible for regulating healthcare, health insurance, the production and distribution of pharmaceuticals, medical prevention measures, and overseeing several other federal organizations with similar goals, such as the Federal Supervision Service for Healthcare and the Federal Medical-Biological Agency.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, she must develop federal health programs for Russia.

As Minister, she is heavily involved with the drug licensing process and prevention of the spread of disease.

As Minister, she oversees all government health facilities. RUSSIA | POSITION 014 Mikhail Kotyukov Minister of Science & Higher Education

Date of Birth: 12/26/1976 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography The Ministry of Science and Higher Education was recently created by the Russian Government in May 2018. Mikhail Kotyukov was named as the first minister. This new ministry was formed as a splitting of the Ministry of Education and Science into the Ministry of Education (primary and secondary school) and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education that Kotyukov is head of.

The ministry is tasked with the development of policy and regulation relating to scientific and innovative technology and intellectual property. They also provide funding and research grants in the area of science. This feeds into the support of students and institutions in all areas not just limited to science. Kotyukov will likely take the new ministry in the direction of improving sciences and Russia’s higher education system which has become more important to Vladimir Putin recently.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is in charge of overseeing higher education within Russia.

As Minister, he helps implement educational policy proposals with the Russian Duma.

As Minister, he helps regulate intellectual property as well as new scientific advancements. RUSSIA | POSITION 015 Konstantin Noskov Minister of Digital Development, Communications, & Mass Media

Date of Birth: 9/26/1978 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Konstantin Noskov serves as the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. Since graduating from Moscow State in 2000, Konstantin has served as a bureaucrat in a number of positions within the forming government of the Russian Federation. With a degree in Automated Information processing, he proved valuable in positions where he could make the most of his skill with organization and managing department internal affairs. In 2009 he was appointed by Vladimir Putin to the newly-created Department of IT and Communications, where he served before becoming the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. As the head of this relatively new ministry (only in existence since 2008,) Mr. Noskov maintains control over a vast government apparatus in charge of information technologies, telecommunications, email communication, mass media, broadcasting, internet access, printing, publishing, and personal data processing. The Ministry oversees 3 main departments that split up this momentous workload: Roskomnadzor, Rospechat and Rossvyaz.

Roskomnadzor is the department of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. It’s main purpose is to hold the responsibility for control, censorship, and supervision in the field of media, including electronic media and mass communications. This manifests mainly in the censorship aspect, as Roskomnadzor also oversees the Russian Internet Blacklisting program, and is in charge of issuing censoring or blocking decrees for online sources that Russian ISPs must adhere to. In the past, Roskomnadzor has banned Wikipedia, U.S news outlets, GitHub, and anonymous or encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram. While this is indeed a momentous power to wield, the Department is not actively in charge of Data Collection, only censorship and regulation.

Rospechat is the department in charge of handling official channels of communication for the government of the Russian Federation, and as such helps maintain government websites and official government sources of information. RUSSIA | POSITION 015

Rossvyaz is the Russian Federal Communications Agency, and is the main “enforcement” and implementation agency within the ministry. It’s the agency in charge of publishing rules and guidelines, managing private news and communications entities, drawing up licenses and certifications necessary for online services or media outlets to function.

Overt Powers:

Censorship: The MoC can choose to censor certain websites or digital channels on behalf of the Russian government

Public support: The MoC also has the ability to use official digital channels to drum up public support or make clear Russian positions on events

Data Gathering: The MoC can collect Data on russian citizens, revealing trends, opinions, and interests… and potentially even foul play. RUSSIA | POSITION 016 Maxim Oreshkin Minister of Economic Development

Date of Birth: 7/21/1982 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Maxim Oreshkin was born July 21, 1982 in Moscow. He attended one of Russia’s premier schools, the Higher School of Economics. He graduated in 2004 with a master’s in economics. After graduation he pursued a series of jobs in the finance world of Russia.

He worked in various capacities at the Central Bank of the Russian Federation until 2006 when he moved to Rosbank, the twelfth largest bank in the Russian Federation, where he worked for the next four years. In 2010, he became the head of Russian Research for Credit Agricole, a French-based international network of banks that specialized in agrarian projects. He served at Credit Agricole from 2010 until 2012. He then took up a position at VTB Capital, the investment banking arm of the larger VTB Bank. He became the Chief Economist for Russia, a position he stayed in barely a year before he took his first of several jobs within the government of the Russian Federation.

In September of 2013, Oreshkin took up the position of Head of Long-term Strategic Planning department, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance. In March of 2015, he was promoted to Deputy Minister of Finance. He served in this capacity until November 2016 when he was appointed to the Minister of Economic Development to replace Alexey Ulyukaev, who had been detained for bribery and dismissed from his ministerial position. As the Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Oreshkin oversees numerous policy directives and subsidiary organizations.

The Ministry manages small business development, foreign economic activity (excluding trade), federal investment programs, and strategic economic planning. The Ministry also directs internal anti-corruption policy. They’re purpose is to prepare suggestions for legal, economic, and organization improvements to counteract corruption. The Ministry is also responsible for developing state economic policy while overseeing the forecasting and measuring of economic development.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he helps to manage and draft economic policy for Russia.

As Minister, he leads anti-corruption programs regarding the economy.

As Minister, he manages the development of new businesses within Russia. RUSSIA | POSITION 017 Vladimir Medinsky Minister of Culture

Date of Birth: 7/18/1970 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography The successor to the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Culture and Mass Media, the Ministry of Culture was established in 2008. It is responsible for all policies relating to the arts and the Russian cultural sphere. This includes regulation of movie-making, copyright laws, tourism, and historical and cultural heritage, archives, and archeological findings. The Ministry is also charged with protecting such copyright laws and historical documents as well as maintaining state property, which includes cultural and historic sites. It also has the authority to establish new cultural centers such as theaters, studios, and libraries in large cities and rural areas alike. Additionally, the ministry is responsible for promoting culture and the arts throughout the country, which in turn promotes tourism--an important facet of the Russian economy.

At the age of forty-eight, the bespectacled, Ukrainian-born Dr. Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky is one of the younger members of Putin’s cabinet. A true nationalist, his policy proposals such as erecting more statues of Josef Stalin and renaming streets after Russian imperial figures are well known both throughout Moscow’s Kremlin as well as the general public. He is one of, if not the only cabinet members with a PhD, earning doctorates in both political science and history. Although he was accused in 2011 of plagiarism in his third doctoral dissertation, his PhD from Russian State Social University was never revoked.

Despite his relatively young age compared to other cabinet members, Medinsky has a wealth of experience within the Kremlin. His career in government began in 2000 when he served as an advisor to the State Duma’s deputy speaker. Only three years later, he was serving as the Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly. Throughout his political career, he never lost sight of his passion for history, having served on the State Duma’s Committee of Culture and a presidential commission aimed at preventing the falsification of historical documents which could be detrimental to Russian interests. He served on this committee until his cabinet appointment in May 2012 as the nation’s Minister of Culture. His appointment was met with opposition from famous Russian celebrities and politicians (among them the head of Russia’s Communist Party) alike. RUSSIA | POSITION 017

Medinsky also has experience in the world of advertising, having worked for a large advertising firm shortly after high school. He has also written several books on science and Russian history, the latter of which demonstrate his rather unusual view of the nation’s history. He has been married to several years to his wife, business owner Marina Nikitina, with whom he has had three children.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is charged with censoring anti-Russian material, especially in entertainment and films.

As Minister, he can allocate money to establish new historical and cultural sites across Russia.

As Minister, he promotes international tourism through extensive advertising campaigns. RUSSIA | POSITION 018 Sergei Avakyants Commander of the Pacific Fleet

Date of Birth: 4/6/1957 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Sergei Iosifovich Avakyants, also spelled Sergey, was born in the incorporated Armenian SSR in the town of Yerevan. He currently serves as the Commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet within the Russian Navy. Accordingly, he is ranked as an Admiral.

Admiral Avakyants was born in a military family and graduated from the Nakhimov Naval School in 1980. He later returned to school in order to become a Supreme Special Officer in 1991 and then in 1998 he graduated from Kuznetsov Naval Academy. He also returned in school in order to be able to work in more political, government-orientated jobs within the military and graduated from the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff in 2007.

While at school, and in between seeking degrees, Avakyants was very active in the military -- putting his schooling to use. He was a commander of the Admiral Yumashev, a ship that is part of Russia’s Northern fleet. He also served at the commander of missile-and-gunnery department’s division aboard the missile cruiser Admiral of the Fleet Lobov, another position within the Northern Fleet. Between 1991-1996 he served as the commanding officer of the missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov. In 1996 he was promoted to deputy commander and then became the Commander of the Russian Northern Fleet in 2001. In 2004, he transitioned to a more policy orientated role and worked as a Chief of Staff as well as the First Deputy Commander of the Northern Fleet Operational Squadron.

In 2007 Avakyants was transferred to the Pacific Fleet. This is arguably a more important and influential role, as Russia’s Pacific Fleet is more involved in disputes between nations, although the Northern Fleet is involved more heavily in the Arctic. By 2010 Avakyants was appointed to the First Deputy Commander of the Pacific Fleet and in 2012 was appointed by Presidential Decree to Commander of the Pacific Fleet.

Admiral Avakyants has received several military awards that are a testament to his long career within the Russian military. He is the recipient of the Order of Naval RUSSIA | POSITION 018

Merit which is given to those who exhibit excellence in military maritime endeavors. This award was established in February of 2002. Avaykats also holds an Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 3rd class. This award was established in 1974, meaning it was the first military order created after the conclusion of the second World War. It was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet military for achieving high levels of military precision and fulfilling the duties in a particularly satisfactory manner. The 3rd class is the least senior of the orders, although any recipient of the award is very prestigious. Recipients enjoy many perks which make their service in the military easier to complete, including priority choice in living quarters, a pension increase, and the covering of personal trip expenses.

Overt Powers:

As Commander, he directs the naval movements of the Russian Pacific Fleet based in Vladivostok.

As Commander, he can communicate with officers in other fleets to coordinate military maneuvers and exercises.

As Commander, he advises Moscow on Pacific military strategy and policy. RUSSIA | POSITION 019 Igor Sechin CEO of Rosneft

Date of Birth: 9/7/1960 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Igor Sechin was born September 7, 1960 in Soviet Leningrad. He graduated from Leningrad State University in 1984. He is a trained linguist, fluent in both Portuguese and French. During the late 1980s he worked in Mozambique as a Soviet interpreter. In 1991 he took a position at the St. Petersburg mayor’s office, where he eventually became the chief of staff to deputy mayor Vladimir Putin. He served as deputy to Vladimir Putin in 1996 at the presidential property management department. He was appointed head of the secretariat of the prime minister in August 1999, during Putin’s term. From December 1999 until May 2008 he served as deputy chief of the Putin administration. Sechin negotiated nuclear and weapons deals in Venezuela and a deep-water drilling deals with Cuba. Then in May 2008, President Dmitry Medvedev moved him to deputy prime minister where he served until his current position.

Sechin now serves as the CEO of the Russian state oil company, Rosneft, a position he has held since 2012. He has held various other positions at Rosneft beginning in 2004. In March 2014, the United States government sanctioned Sechin in response to Russia’s role in the ongoing unrest in Ukraine. The sanctions include a travel ban to the United States, freezing all his assets in the United States and a ban on business transactions between American citizens and corporations and Sechin and his businesses. Some articles have said that Sechin is widely believed to be Russia’s second most powerful person behind President Putin. He is often viewed as de facto deputy to Putin and has a long history as a staunch and conservative ally. Sechin is the leader of the Siloviki faction in the Kremlin. The Siloviki faction is a political lobby consisting of former military and security officials.

Rosneft is an oil company owned by the Russian government which means that as CEO Sechin is a member of the Russian government. Rosneft is the third largest Russian company and the second largest state-owned company behind Grazprom and is also one of the largest oil companies internationally. The company was established in 1993 with the assets from the former Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Soviet Union. Rosneft is a massive producer and exporter of oil that has dealings in nearly twenty countries. Sechin is also personally very wealthy. He has an estimated net worth of $169 million and has an annual salary of about $18 million. RUSSIA | POSITION 019

Overt Powers:

As CEO, he directs the actions and management of Rosneft.

AS CEO, he directs new business dealings and drilling operations across Russia.

As CEO, he has access to an enormous fortune for personal use. RUSSIA | POSITION 020

Alexander Zakharchenko Leader of Donetsk People’s Republic

Date of Birth: 6/26/1976 Home Country: Ukraine

Biography Born in Donetsk on June 26, 1976, Alexander Zakharchenko was a separatist leader as well as the head of state and Prime Minister of the rebel group and self-proclaimed state the Donetsk People’s Republic. He graduated from technical college and then worked as a mine electrician and eventually opened a business in the mining industry. Additionally he studied in the law institute of the Interior Ministry. In 2010, he became the head of the Donetsk branch of Oplot, which is a non-governmental organization established in Kharkiv. Oplot’s purpose is the provision of financial, psychological, social and legal assistance to the families of policemen who are killed while performing their duties.

By 2014, he was the commander of a local militia in Donetsk that was formed from members of a civic and martial arts group. On August 2014, he was appointed Prime Minister after his predecessor, Alexander Borodai, resigned. During the parliamentary elections, which were held to choose the chief executives and parliaments for the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republic, Zakharchenko told potential voters that Donetsk is very rich, and compared it to the United Arab Emirates. He claimed that the Donetsk people have natural gas, coal and metallurgy. He was also known to be in favor of the death penalty.

The Donetsk People’s Republic is a proto-state, also known as a quasi-state, in the Donetsk province of Ukraine. It receives military and humanitarian resources from Russia. Ukraine has designated it as a terrorist group. The Donetsk People’s Republic is at war with the Luhansk People’s Republic. Since February 2015, it has postured itself as the successor to the Donetsk-Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic. As a result of Russian military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, the Donetsk People’s Republic is considered one of three temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the other two territories are the Luhansk People’s Republic and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

During February 2014, a poll conducted by Kiev International Institute of Sociology, 33.2% of people from Donetsk believed that Ukraine and Russia should unite into a single state, 66% of Donetsk residents saw themselves living under a united Ukraine, and 4.7% supported separatism. A second poll conducted in March 2014 showed that 26.5% supported rallies that support joining Russia and 40.8% of RUSSIA | POSITION 020

Donetsk citizens supported rallies for Ukraine’s unity. On May 2014, separatist rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk claimed that they would proceed with a referendum that would determine the status of this region. The referendum organizers claimed that 89% voted in favor of self-rule. These results were not officially recognized by any government, including those of the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the countries of the European Union.

NOTE: Alexander Zakharchenko was killed by an explosion on August 31, 2018. For the purposes of this committee, assume that he is still alive.

Overt Powers:

Gives commands and orders to the separatist militia forces within Donetsk, Ukraine.

Coordinates military policy between separatist forces and the Russian Armed Forces.

Governs captured territory within eastern Ukraine. RUSSIA | POSITION 021 Yury Slyusar CEO of United Aircraft Corporation

Date of Birth: 7/20/1974 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Yury Slyusar was born July 20, 1974, in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and is the sole executive body of PJSC United Aircraft Corporation with functions of the Chairman of the Management Board. Not much is known about his past, but we do know that in 1996 he graduated from Moscow State University in law studies and went on to his Postgraduate studies at the Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation, as a Candidate of Economic Sciences. Until 2003, worked at various unknown commercial organizations, until he received the position of Commercial Director of JSC "Rostvertol," in Rostov-on-Don, a company that manufactured military and commercial airplanes and eventually became the first serial producer of helicopters in Russia, which Slyusar worked on as a member of the Helicopter-Program Committee of JSC "Oboronprom". He worked at this company until 2009 where afterward he became the Assistant Secretary of the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and only a year later, was promoted to Director of the Aviation-Industry Department at the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and eventually was elected to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade. Finally, in April 2015 Slyusar abandoned his government job and became the President of the Joint Stock Company known as the United Aircraft Corporation.

Before being elected to this position, it was said that one of Slyusar goals is enhancing the development and manufacturing of civil aviation, and ousting of foreign competitors from the country market. Therefore it is extremely important for the new leader to lay emphasis on the design capacity, because “ultimately, talented people at their proper positions, this engineering elite, make a bigger influence on the result of work, than machines.” and Slyusar reflects this in his position. Slyusar is empowered to decide all issues pertaining to the Corporation’s current activities, except for matters falling within the competence of the General Shareholders’ Meeting, the Board of Directors and the Management Board. The main tasks of the committee he is currently on and market strategy are securing government requisites in state security including transportation security, maximizing international sales in segments of civil regional, mainline and widebody jet aircraft, preserving existing market share in military aviation while expanding in transport and special purpose segments and achieving a balanced lifecycle stage product mix. In addition to this, the company as a whole, UAC’s priorities include the top-quality, timely execution of contracts under State Defense Order, development of effective, full-scope international cooperation with foreign aviation companies, as well as formation of technology advancements for the promotion of domestic products on the world market, which Slyusar directs as a result. RUSSIA | POSITION 021

In current news, Slyusar led the conversation between Moscow and New Delhi and went ahead with discussions on the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), a project that will help India’s air force. Despite media reports on India’s withdrawal, and said that “We have not closed the topic, we continue to discuss with India the joint development of the fifth generation [aircraft]. The topic is not closed. It was reported quite intensely that the Indians are exiting this project – they are not withdrawing from it, they just ask a really large number of questions, to which, in our opinion, we give exhaustive answers. As before, we proceed from the premise that the amount of technology that we are ready to transmit to India, no other country is not ready to transfer." Furthermore, in U.S. news, Slyusar has made the list of over 200 Russian oligarchs to potentially receive sanctions under legislation meant to punish Russia for its interference in the 2016 US election, as well as its human rights violations, the annexation of Crimea and ongoing military operations in eastern Ukraine.

Overt Powers:

As director of the UAC, Slyusar has the power to direct the sale and marketing of various military and commercial planes, and thus if delegates need a plane or any assistance getting somewhere, Slyusar can provide it.

Furthermore, with his many inter-government connections, Slyusar can work with the Minister of Industry and Trade to help the committee profit

Finally, Slyusar with his knowledge of planes, can help the Russian military, as well as other militaries, build and improve their aircrafts RUSSIA | POSITION 022 Sergey Surovikin Commander of Aerospace Forces

Date of Birth: 10/11/1966 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Sergey Surovikin is the current Commander of Aerospace Forces for Russia. He was born in 1966 in Novosibirsk in Russia, eventually graduating from the Omsk Higher Military School in 1987. Upon graduating, he was sent to serve in the Soviet-Afghan war, in the Spetsnaz. He sped to the rank of captain and commander of the 1st Rifle Battalion in the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division. His time in this position was not without controversy, during the August Coup, he sent his battalion into a tunnel, and 3 demonstrators were subsequently killed. Following the defeat of the coup, he was arrested and investigated for 7 months, after which it was determined he was only following orders. He was then promoted to the rank of major.

He then attended the Frunze Military Academy, where he was sentenced to a year of probation for illegally selling weapons. It was later overturned, when it was confirmed Surovikin was unaware of the weapon’s purpose in lending it to a friend. After his 1995 graduation there, he was sent to Tajikstan, where he commanded a major rifle Battalion. He became chief of the 201st Motor Rifle Division.

Later, he graduated from the Military Academy of General Staff. Controversy followed him; In 2004, he was accused of beating up a lieutenant for voting for the wrong candidate. A division deputy commander for armaments, Colonel Andrei Shtakal, shot himself in the presence of Surovikin after criticism by Surovikin. In both cases, he was found innocent.

He continued to work in various high-ranking military positions across Russia. In Nov. 2011, he was a part of the team working to form the new Russian Military Police. He was suggested to head the Police after it was instituted, but he never earned this distinction due to a conflict between the Defense Ministry and the Military Prosecutor’s Office, according to Russian media.

In 2017, he was appointed Commander of the Russian Armed Forces deployed to Syria. For this leadership, he was awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation. In November of the same year, he officially became Commander of Aerospace Forces for Russia. RUSSIA | POSITION 022

Overt Powers:

As Commander, he directs the usage of military satellites for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, as well as coordinating missile defenses.

As Commander, he is in charge of all Russian air force personnel and plans missions.

He also holds an enormous amount of influence throughout the Russian military. RUSSIA | POSITION 023 Maxim Topilin Minister of Labor and Social Affairs

Date of Birth: 4/19/1967 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Maxim Topilin is the current Minister for Labour and Social Affairs. He graduated from Plekhanov Moscow Institute of National Economy with a degree in economics. He has a history of positions in the bureaucracy, including as a specialist advisor for Labour and Health, Head of the Federal Service for Labour and Employment, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Development and as a consultant to the Department of Labour and Social Affairs. In 2008, he was awarded a Order of Courage for his work in medical assistance and dedication to the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict. On September 19, 2012, he was issued a reprimand by President Putin. He is married to Maria Topilina and has two daughters with her. Topilin believes in economic relationships between Russia and North Korea. He supports economic developments in Russia that are done by North Korean workers.

Overt Powers:

As Minister, he is In charge of labor state protections, pensions, and civil service.

As Minister, he regulates employment opportunities and job availability.

As Minister, he oversees social security and access to governmental services. RUSSIA | POSITION 024 Alexander Bortnikov Director of the FSB

Date of Birth: 11/15/1951 Home Country: Russian Federation

Biography Alexander Bortnikov was born in 1951 in Perm, USSR, a major city near the Ural Mountains. He attended the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineers, having been fascinated with rail transportation as a young boy. He graduated in 1973 and then immediately was recruited to the Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (KGB), the chief intelligence and security agency for the Soviet Union. He worked in the KGB as an agent for nearly twenty years, and continued as an intelligence official and chief in the Federal Security Service (FSB) Directorate in Leningrad. In 2004, he became the Head of Economic Security Service and the Deputy Director until 2008. In Russia, the FSB is essentially the equivalent of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 2008, he became the FSB’s Director by then-president Dmitry Medvedev, a close friend of his. Despite his high level within the Russian government, there is a dearth of information about his career and life, certainly due to his career as a spy.

Overt Powers:

As Director, Bortnikov controls all agents (at home and abroad) and their activities within the FSB.

As Director, he is charged with overseeing domestic intelligence and surveillance operations for the president.

As Director, he is responsible for enforcing border security and counter-terrorist operations.