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Please direct all questions to [email protected] A NOTE

Jonathan Scolare Chair

Уважаемые Делегаты, Добро Пожаловать в Кабинет Министров Российской Федерации.

Dear Delegates, Welcome to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation.

My name is Jonathan Scolare. I am a senior at American University’s School of International Service where I am majoring in International Studies and minoring in Russian Language/Area Studies. I have been involved with Model UN in one way or another since my junior year in high school. I have been involved with AU’s Model UN team since my freshman year with the exception of my year abroad in . In Fall 2016, I studied at Smolny College in Saint Petersburg, Russia where I participated in the newly created Smolny Model UN club. In Spring 2017, I went on an exchange program to the State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), where I chaired the Security Council of the Moscow International Model UN Conference. This is my third AmeriMUNC appearance and my second time chairing.

Outside of Model UN, I am involved with the American University International Relations Society and the United Methodist Student Association. During my free time, I enjoy playing Civilization V (as Russia, of course), studying languages, rooting for the Green Bay Packers, watching “Bob’s Burgers,” and driving my friends crazy with my arsenal of puns.

Enough about me, let’s talk about Russia and our committee. AmeriMUNC V will revolve around the theme of forced migration, a heavily pertinent topic in all parts of the globe. Russia has a long and tragic history of forced migration. During the years of the Russian Empire, Russians were forced to colonize Siberia in order to assert the Empire’s dominance in the region while simultaneously purging the native culture. Under Joseph Stalin’s brutal regime, millions of people were forcibly moved to GULAGs in all corners of the , killing more people than Adolf Hitler and displacing millions from their homelands. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, implemented an irrigation system to make the Central Asian desert into fertile fields by channeling water from the Aral Sea. The results were disastrous. The Aral Sea has all but dried up due to the irrigation system. The seabed is now exposed soil that has been polluted over years with chemicals and runoff. People whose families have lived by the sea for thousands of years now have no choice but to find work elsewhere. Khrushchev’s successor, Leonid Brezhnev, signed a deal with North Korean dictator Kim Il-Sung to set up work camps in Siberia, which are still in operation today. Over the past 25 years under the Russian Federation, thousands more have been displaced due to the Chechen War and, more recently, the events in Ukraine.

Уважаемые делегаты, the Russian Federation cannot reverse the events of the past. Russia can only move forward. However, many Russians seek a “return to the past” where Russia becomes what the Soviet Union once was. It is up to you to figure out how to merge these two ideologies in devising an answer to the migration questions facing the world today. Position papers are not required for this committee.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Scolare Chair, Cabinet of the Russian Federation [email protected] FROM THE CRISIS DIRECTORS

Hello!

My name is Caroline Rose and I will be serving as your Head Crisis Director for AmeriMUNC. I am so immensely excited to bring you the most interactive, fast-paced, realistic crisis simulation that will challenge some of your most basic assumptions about climate migration and international politics. Your Secretariat, Crisis Directors, Chairs, and I have all been anticipating your arrival, and look forward to meeting all of you! I have been involved with the American University Model United Nations program for four years, and know this will be the best AmeriMUNC yet. A little bit about me: I am a senior in the School of International Service, studying American foreign policy and Middle Eastern politics. I have specifically focused on Iraqi-Kurdish relations and U.S. foreign policy in the Syrian Civil War, and enjoy engaging in deep discussion about some of the world’s most pressing conflicts. I have served as Head Delegate of American University’s travel Model United Nations team and currently serve as the Chief Executive Officer of our umbrella organization, the International Relations Society (AMIRS), as well as the Editor-in-Chief of our undergraduate public policy magazine, The World Mind. It is bittersweet to be staffing AmeriMUNC this year, as it is my last, and I have deeply enjoyed interacting with delegates as both a chair and staffer in the past.

As for crisis, we will be looking to challenge you in more ways than one. Foreign policy, diplomacy, international politics are multifaceted phenomena, and have dimensions that should be dealt with from all angles. Climate migration is truly a 21st century phenomenon, combining some of the most intractable conflicts and concerns that should be addressed collaboratively across the international community. No one nation or leader can singlehandedly solve an issue of this scope and size, and therefore I encourage you to engage with your cabinets, different perspectives, and different countries, to effectively address crises. Your crises notes and directives are far more powerful when they are well-thought out and collaborative, and stand out on their own. Research also matters; dive deep into your character and the body they represent, and you will find that crises will be much easier to address. Most of all, learn something new. My favorite part about Model UN is how students can interact with some of the biggest pressing problems in the world face-to-face, and learn something new about foreign policy, cooperation, and even something about themselves.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in just a few months!

Caroline Rose Head Crisis Director [email protected] Hello Delegates,

My name is Alex Davis and I am going to be your Crisis Director for the P5 country cabinets for AmeriMUNC V! I can’t wait for AmeriMUNC, and we’re looking bring you an incredible for the weekend. For the P5 country cabinets, we’re going to be looking for you to work with your committee and with the other committees. Front room work, such as directives, communiques, and press releases will be just as important as your crisis notes, but please do not neglect crisis notes. As a Crisis Director, I want to encourage you to be as creative as possible, but try to stay realistic.

We live in a very interesting time. The United Kingdom is breaking away from Europe. Russia seems to be returning to the international stage in a big way. France is trying to remain relevant and hoping to take on a new form of leadership with the decline of American leadership. China is of course the largest country, and trying to figure out how to balance their relationship with the United States and North Korea. Meanwhile, the United States seems to be making demands on the world stage, while burning bridges at the same time. I look forward to our simulation to reflect the changing world order, specifically how these countries interact with each other.

This will be my fourth and last AmeriMUNC, and I can’t tell you how much being part of this conference means to me. I have seen this conference grow over the past several years, from a conference in one building to now to a conference that will take over our campus. I hope this AmeriMUNC will be the best one yet, and I know the cabinets will be the best committees of the conference.

I can’t wait to see you all in February!

Alex Davis Crisis Director [email protected] Page 1 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

The Russian Federation … and the after effects of the Chechen War

Key Terms Caucasus - a mountain range stretching between the Black and Caspian Seas that includes Russian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, and Armenian territory Chechnya - a republic in the Caucasus region that is under Moscow rule but has its own president and parliament. Ingushetia - a republic in the Caucasus region that is under Moscow rule but has its own president and parliament. Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) - an international non-governmental organization focusing on advocacy and analysis of internally displaced persons around the world. Internally displaced persons (IDP) - according to the United Nations, internally displaced persons are fleeing violence but do not cross international borders. United Nations (UN) - an international body founded in 1945 for the purpose of promoting dialogue and peace between nations.

Background & Current Issues their struggle against the Russians. This fervor grew to its Russo-Chechen Relationship Through 1991 zenith in Shamil’s Revolt in the 1860s, which was crushed The Russian Empire invaded the Caucasian region in the by the forces of Emperor Alexander II. [1] Chechnya became much more peaceful afterwards, resulting in roads, early 18th century, taking much of the lands from Persia. schools, industry, and cities being built with help from The lands were surrendered and re-conquered several times Moscow. The Bolshevik Revolution impacted the Caucasus between the Russians, Ottomans, and Persians in the by fueling movements for more autonomy among ethnic following decades until finally coming under complete groups. In 1921, Chechnya joined forces with its Russian rule at the turn of the century. However, the neighboring regions to form the Mountain Autonomous Russians encountered strong resistance from several ethnic Soviet Social Republic, a de facto breakaway state from groups living in the Caucasian foothills – one of which the newly formed Soviet Union. [2] The Bolsheviks seized control of the region a year later, breaking up the state and were the Chechens. By the start of the 19th century, ethnic then forming ethnically heterogeneous regions in order to Chechens had already begun insurgent movements against dilute ethnic identity. [3] the Russian Empire. One key factor in these movements was the role of Sunni Islam, from which the Chechen It was under Soviet rule that Chechens faced the greatest fighters took the concept of “holy war” and applied it to violations of rights. Joseph Stalin forcibly moved ethnic Russians into the newly formed Checheno-Ingushetia Page 2 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Autonomous Republic. By 1937, about a quarter of the capital, Grozny, from the Russians – on the same day Republic’s population was ethnic Russian. After Nazi Yeltsin was sworn into his second term as president. He Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Chechens was forced to accept a peace deal and withdrawal of and other ethnic groups in the Caucasian region seized the Russian troops in August 1996. [11] It was a hard, clumsily opportunity to fight for their own independence. While the assembled peace for the Kremlin whose military Nazis never reached the Caucasians, Stalin declared that demonstrated sloppiness, inefficiency, and lethargy. the peoples living there were Nazi conspirators and, in Second Chechen War 1944, began a long, brutal deportation process of the entire In the summer of 1999, Chechen fighters clashed with population of Checheno-Ingushetia. Approximately Russian troops, a move that was soon followed by a full-on 600,000 people were deported to Central Asia, 100,000 of invasion of the neighboring province, , in hopes whom died along the journey. They were allowed to return of creating an Islamic state. [12] In September, a series of to their native homeland in the late 1950s, after Stalin’s bombs that blew up apartment buildings, killing nearly 300 people and injuring dozens more, was blamed on Chechen death. The Chechens, who comprised two-thirds of the fighters. The Second Chechen War, coordinated largely by people deported, have not forgotten this genocide. [4] new Russian Prime Minister , had begun.

Ethnic Chechens slowly yet surely returned to Chechnya Unlike the First Chechen War, which was fought more over the following decades. Additionally, ethnic Chechens along the lines of nationalism, the second had more experienced a small baby boom that turned the region from religious undertones. This trait came from “high rates of majority Slav (Russian, Ukrainian, etc.) back to majority poverty and unemployment, widespread corruption, incessant power struggles, and Moscow’s failure to present Chechen by 1979. [5] Throughout the 1980s, as the Soviet a nation-state project,” which caused the various ethnicities economy became weakened in addition to the government to unify around Islam. [13] The idea of a Caucasus becoming more distant from the people, the idea of an Emirate, originally conceived in the 19th century, independent Chechen state was reborn. reemerged.

First Chechen War Putin and the Kremlin had greater resolve to fight during As the Soviet Union began collapsing in on itself, Boris the Second Chechen War. They sent in more troops, strategized better, and the media was more in-line with the Yeltsin called on all Soviet Republics within Russia proper government. [14] Russian forces entered Grozny in March to seek greater autonomy. It is unclear exactly why he did 2000, but only after flattening the city with artillery, air, this, but it caused a greater headache to his only superior and missile strikes. Thousands of Chechens were displaced and chief political adversary, Mikhail Gorbachev. in neighboring regions and throughout Russia, 190,000 of Additionally, it added energy to those seeking Chechen whom went to the impoverished neighboring province of independence. The Chechen leader who orchestrated the Ingushetia. [15] Guerilla warfare continued in the foothills attempted secession was former Soviet air force officer Dzhokhar Dudayev, who was elected Chechen president in October 1991. His first act of president was to declare Chechnya independent on November 1. The elections were quickly declared “illegal and void” by the Russian parliament. [6] Russian President Yeltsin declared a state of emergency in the region, a move that bypassed Mikhail Gorbachev, who was still the leader of the crumbling Soviet Union at the time. [7] However, no Russian military action was taken until 1994, when President Yeltsin sent in 600 lightly armored troops from the Ministry of the Interior. The soldiers were quickly surrounded, disarmed, and sent back across the Russo-Chechen border in an embarrassing blunder on Moscow’s part. The Kremlin tried to quash the rebellion, but poor strategizing and weak morale plagued the Russian military. Russian soldiers even went so far as to illegally sell weapons and munitions to Chechen fighters for much needed funds to send home to their families. [8] These factors prolonged the war, which killed upwards of 100,000 people – many of whom were civilians. [9] Moscow scored a victory when, on April 21, 1996, Russian intelligence locked onto Dudayev’s cell phone and sent two missiles to his location. [10] However, this did not stop the Chechens from recapturing their Page 3 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia SUBJECTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

OBLASTS, REPUBLICS, KRAIS, FEDERAL CITIES, & AUTONOMOUS OKRUGS

INGUSHETIA

CHECHNYA

INTERNATIONAL SCALE

0 km 100 km 1000 km 2000 km Page 4 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

80,000 to 100,000 people died in each war

spokesperson responded, “We are struggling against the sources of terrorism on Russian territory.” [20] The humanitarian crisis has drawn much international criticism, although no United Nations (UN) resolutions have been passed. Indeed, no third-party actors have participated in the Russo-Chechen conflicts.

Today, years after the last shot was fired, there are still thousands of internally displaced people throughout Russia. However, due to the Russian government’s laws and inactions, it is difficult to estimate how many Chechen IDP exist in Russia. According to a 2004 United Nations report, there were 8000 Chechen IDPs in neighboring Dagestan, 40,000 in other parts of Russia, and 140,000 displaced within Chechnya. [21] The Danish Refugee Council reported that 66,792 Chechens had registered for assistance with it in neighboring Ingushetia. [22] It is and rural areas, but the heavy shelling of civilian areas unclear how these stats have changed since then, if at all. ceased. The IDMC in 2014 reported there were 15,000 IDPs in Chechnya and 10,000 in Ingushetia. [23] However, the Akhmat Kadyrov, who was a rebel that became a Kremlin Center believes this number to be much higher, for three loyalist, was appointed as leader of Chechnya in June 2000 reasons: and officially became the elected president after the “According to its 1995 Law on Forced Migrants, a ‘forced October 2003 elections. However, he was killed in May migrant’ is a person displaced between provinces of the 2004 by a bomb blast. The rebel warlord Shamil Basayev Russian Federation,” resulting in IDPs within Chechnya to took credit for the attack. Kadyrov was later killed in July be excluded from the final number; 2006. Former Russian Interior Minister and Kremlin Many Chechens did not receive forced migrant status when loyalist, Alu Alkhanov, was sworn in as the Chechen they fled to another province despite what the law says. As president in October 2004, only to be replaced at the a result, Chechens displaced to Dagestan are not included Kremlin’s orders by Ramzan Kadyrov, son of the late in government figures, even though that is where most Akhmat Kadyrov and close ally of President Putin. [16] Chechens fled to during the Second Chechen War; “Forced migrant” status expires after five years. The holder Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) can extend this status, “but this has proven difficult for Approximately 80,000 to 100,000 people – many of them many IDPs due to inconsistent application of the law.” civilians – died in each war. [17] According to the Internally Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), Thus, it is unclear and highly uncertain how many IDPs “about 70,000 remain displaced in the North Caucasus. An exist in Russia. Those that are registered as an IDP by the unknown number of [internally displaced persons] from state face a plethora of challenges proving and maintaining Chechnya are living elsewhere in Russia.” [18] In October their status. Additionally, they have a more difficult time 1999, soon after the start of the Second Chechen War, finding jobs and housing due to the widespread racism that refugees fleeing the region said, “they had seen warplanes exists in Russian society. [25] It is up to this cabinet to attack another refugee convoy” the previous day. [19] determine the actions that Russia must take to mitigate the Upon being asked about the bombings, President Yeltsin’s challenges IDPs face everyday.

Page 5 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Conclusion

The Chechen question is nothing new to Russia. Moscow has been battling rebels from the region for nearly three centuries. However, as time and technology progresses, so too do insurgency methods. Throughout the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world experienced a wave of rebel insurgencies focusing on ethnic-nationalistic violence – as seen in the breakup of Yugoslavia, Saddam Hussein’s brutal treatment of Kurds, and in the Russo-Chechen Wars. Today, that trend has changed to that of religious extremism. The majority of armed insurgencies around the world are those conducted by Islamic extremists. Chechnya has fought an ethnic, nationalistic war with Russia, but it has not joined the trend of transnational Islamic fundamentalism. The Kremlin has been able to keep such an ideology at bay thanks to gratuitous financial gifts to Chechnya and a Chechen president handpicked by President Putin. It is the duty of this cabinet to protect Russia’s security and interests both at home and abroad. Russia must learn how to stretch its shrinking financial resources to cover all its priorities and decide if Chechnya falls into such a category. Lastly, there is the question revolving around Ramzan Kadyrov and his relationship with the Kremlin. Kadyrov has proved himself as a loyal ally of President Putin while simultaneously showing signs of being a loose cannon. It is up to this cabinet to decide if he should be appeased, disciplined, or replaced.

Questions to Consider To what extent does Moscow have control over Chechnya today?

Between nationalism, ethnocentrism, and Islamic extremism, which has demonstrated a greater presence in Chechnya since the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Should the 1995 Law on Forced Migrants be amended? Why or why not? And if so, how?

Why did/does Russia not want the international community to help the humanitarian situation in Chechnya? Page 6 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia Page 7 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Positions & Portfolio Powers 1. Prime Minister: Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev was born to affluent family in Leningrad, Russia in 1965. Medvedev has both Russian and Ukrainian blood, hailing from the Belgorod province. When he turned 17, he became a student in Leningrad State University where he studied legal affairs, and later continued his studies in the Law Department until 1987. Medvedev served as a private lawyer and then later entered politics in 1998, as the campaign manager for Anatoly Sobchak’s democratic campaign for a parliamentary seat in the USSR Congress of People’s Deputies. After his brief career on the campaign trail, Medvedev was elected Chairman of Leningrad’s City Council in 1990 and then Mayor in 1991, where he met current-president Vladimir Putin, a consultant of the City’s Committee on Foreign Affairs at the time. He is married to Svetlana Medvedeva, a daughter of a Leningrad military family, and they have three children together. His wife converted to Eastern Orthodoxy and tries to promote the lifestyles of the Church throughout policy creation. His father was an academic: a professor at Leningrad State Institute for Technology in engineering. His mother was also in academia: a scholar in linguistics and communications at Herzen State Pedagogical University.

Overt Powers: *Determine the operating priorities of the Government and organizes its work, including drafting federal laws, division of government self-bodies, *Nominates other ministers and federal ministers *Distributes duties among members of the Government *Cited complete trust from President Putin *Oversees the State Duma and other regulatory aspects of the Russian government *Chairman of the Board of Directors for from 2002-2008

2. Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office: Anton Vaino Born in Tallinn, Estonia in 1972, Vaino is the grandson of the First Secretary of Estonia’s Communist Party. Recently hired on during one of Putin’s political cleanses, Vaino is new to the Muscovite sphere of culture and politics. A graduate of world- renown Moscow State Institute of International Affairs (MGIMO) in 1996, he served as a diplomat, in the Russian government, and head of executive administrations. Vaino first worked as a Russian emissary in Japan, at the Russian Embassy in Tokyo. He impressed officials with his knack for foreign policy, and was promoted to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Second Asian Department. In 2002, he was promoted to the Presidential Protocol Directorate and became the Deputy Head of Protocol and Scheduling. In 2008, he caught Putin’s eye and was brought onto the Government Staff as Chief. Considered a friendly and competent, but reserved worker by Putin. He is married to Elena Shulenkova and has one son with her.

Overt Powers: *Term is limitless *Distributes duties between heads of administrations *Coordinates efforts between different government organizations *Approves structuring and staffing of the Russian UNSC side *Approves classification/declassification of information

3. Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Space Industry: Dmitry Rogozin Dmitry Rogozin has long, loud history in Russian politics. He has graduated from multiple institutes holding multiple degrees: PhD in Philological Studies from MGIMO, PhD in Economics from the Marxist-Leninist University, and graduated with high honors from MGIMO for a Journalism degree . He has held the position of Deputy of the State Duma, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs and Russian Ambassador to NATO. Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, he was sanctioned by US President Obama. These sanctions include the freezing of his assets and a ban from entering the United States. When questioned about the annexation of Crimea he responded, “tanks don’t need visas.” He is also considered persona non grata in Ukraine. Alongside his current position, Rogozin is also leads the Russian Arctic Commission. In 2014, he wrote a book detailing the right of Russia to reclaim Alaska and the rest of the Arctic Circle. Rogozin is well known for his hostile and aggressive tweets. He is married to Tatiana Gennadievna Rogozina and had one child with her, Aleksei. Page 8 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Overt Powers: *Movement and interaction of advanced military projects *Coordinates the nature of the state’s space program and its international partnership *In charge of military/industrial complex *Special preparation and cooperation in NATO *In charge of the anti-missile defense fund in accordance with the military and NATO

4. Minister for Labour and Social Affairs: Maxim Topilin 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.

Overt Powers: *In charge of labor state protections, pensions, and civil service *Regulates employment opportunities and job availability *Oversees social security and access to governmental services

5. Deputy Prime Minister on Sport, Tourism, and Youth Policy: Pavel Kolobkov A multiple-Olympic-medalling épée fencer, Pavel Kolobkov is a well-known member of the Russian sports scene and considered the best épée fencer in the last two decades. Having graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Law, he has represented the Russian Federation at five separate Olympics, winning the gold in 2000, along with the World and European Championships. Since retiring, he has served as Deputy Minister of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy, the Deputy Minister of Sports, and had a stint with the World Anti-Doping Agency. He had served as Russia’s representative to the Agency until it was declared that Russia was a non-compliant, and as a result, he lost his position as a representative to the organization and barred from serving on the organization’s Foundation Board. As of October 2017, , the former Minister of Sports, was replaced by Kolobkov. He is married to Ekaterina Kolobkova.

Overt Powers: *Oversight of all domestic and international sporting events within Russia *Control of FIFA World Cup coordination *Regulates tourism policies and advocacy for all major sports teams and travel *Advocates for youth extracurricular and society policies *Member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation *In charge of regulating health in sports activities, development of physical culture, and *ecology of these activities

6. Minister of the Interior Affairs: Vladimir Alexandrovich Kolokoltsev A long-serving law enforcement official, Vladimir Alexandrovich Kolokoltsev has served in multiple separate jurisdictions. He got his start protecting foreign diplomatic missions in Moscow, protecting different visiting delegations to the Kremlin. In 1984, he became the Platoon Commander of the Gagarinsky district committee, and began to consider a political career. In 1989, he graduated from the Higher Political College of the Ministry of the Interior, where he studied jurisprudence of Russian law -- even though multiple citations have allegedly stated he has plagiarized from friends and has multiple un-cited sources. He afterwards began a long career in police protection and security as the Head of a Police Station in Moscow and, later, as Senior Detective of Moscow. In 1997, he worked with the Ministry of the Interior in the Department of Organized Crime Prevention, where he worked with the Minister on criminal justice reform. From 2001 to 2009, he worked as a Chief Police Officer in various stations and departments, and was appointed by the President to become the Moscow Police Commissioner, and then in 2010 appointed the Moscow City Police Lieutenant-General, a subdivision of the military. In 2012, he was appointed the Ministry of Interior. He is married to Vera Kolokoltseva and has two children with her, Sasha y Ekaterina. Page 9 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Overt Powers: *In charge of the federal law enforcement agency *Main Directorate for Road Traffic Safety *Regulates the Federal Drug Control Service *Controls the police units in Moscow and the oblast region *Investigates economic and counterfeiting crimes in the region *Unofficially supervises other major Russian cities police crimes

7. Minister of Emergency Situations: Vladimir Puchkov was born to a middle class family in 1959, in the small town Novinka in the Volgograd Oblast. He attended Tyumen High Military Engineering Academy and graduated at the age of 20, going on to the Soviet Army’s Engineering Troops in the Far East Military District. He soon became the Senior Officer of the Civil Defense Command in 1983, and attended the Kuybyshev Military Engineering Academy in 1988, where he focused in Command Staff of Civil Defense. After graduating, he pursued military academia, teaching military courses and defensive strategies at the All-Russian Institute of Science. He went onto the Ministry for Emergency Situations in 1997, where he was the Head of the Department for Activities of Population and Territory Protection. After two years at the Ministry, he became the Head of the Department of Civil Defense in 2003. In 2006, he became the Head of the North-West Regional Center of the Emergencies Control Ministry, in charge of crises and natural disasters that occur in Russia. In 2007, he was appointed as Deputy State Secretary of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Natural Disasters, and became the Minister in 2012. He has the military rank of General-Lieutenant, and has received the Order of Courage. He is married and has three sons and a daughter.

Overt Powers: *Managing the search and rescue missions for the Russian government *Allocating funds to the various programs related to emergencies *Responding to proactive programs to fight natural disasters *Can gain access to military equipment in the event of a response situation

8. Minister of Health: Veronika Skvortsova Veronika Skvortsova was born to a family of doctors in 1960 in Moscow, Russia. From an early age, she wanted to study medicine, like the four generations of family before her. She received her PhD in Medicine from the Russian National Medical Research University in 1977, and practiced pediatric medicine at the Second Moscow Medical Institute. She has worked as Medical Laboratory Assistant in pediatric medicinal research and became the Director of Research Institute for Stroke in the Russian National Research Medical University in 2005. In 2012, she was appointed Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development, and then appointed Minister in 2012. She is licensed to practice as a neurologist and as a neurophysicist. Currently, she is the Chairman of the All-Russian Society of Neurologist, Vice President of the National Association of Strokes (NABI), a representative of NABI in the World Stroke Organization (WSO) and a member of the Executive Committee in the European Organization of Stroke. In 2008, she received the Order of Honor. She is married with a son, Gregory.

Overt Powers: *Develops and implements state policies on health care services and providers *Governs federal health care facilities *In charge of controlling of infectious diseases, education, prices *Oversees the operation and maintenance of state-owned hospitals *Pioneers national research endeavors to enhance medicine and cure diseases *National licensure and registration of drugs

9. Minister of Foreign Affairs: Sergey Lavrov was born in Moscow in 1950. His mother was a Soviet civil servant, working in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and passed onto Lavrov the love of national service. He proved himself to be an exceptional student, and went onto to study at MGIMO in 1972 where he learned multiple languages, of which he is fluent in his native Russian, English, French, and Sinhalese, as well as studying foreign relations. When he graduated, he went onto Sri Lanka with the Soviet Embassy as an advisor and national specialist. In 1976, he became the Second Secretary in the Foreign Relations Ministry tasked with working with various international organizations. Two years later, he became the senior advisor to the Soviet Mission to the UN, and became the Deputy Chief of International Economic Relations in 1988. He became Foreign Minister of the Russian Page 10 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, a ceremonial role, in 1900. In 1994, he became the Ambassador to the UN, and was the President of the UN Security Council at various points in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 1999. In 2004, he was appointed by Putin to be the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He has continued to maintain his position as Chairman of the Commission of Russia for UNESCO since 2004. He has received an outstanding number of awards, honors, and titular citizenry from countries all over the world. He is married to Maria Lavrova and has one daughter with her, with Ekaterina Vinokurova, a multi-business owner and investor.

Overt Powers: *Implementing foreign policy for the state of Russia *In charge of meeting with foreign diplomats and representatives *Determines which foreign policy maneuvers take precedent *Creates sanctions or aids with discussion from other advisors and the President *Holds meetings with heads of states and governments *Oversees all diplomatic actions taken by embassies and departments *Allows for any international action taken by other Departments to occur

10. Minister of Communications and Mass Media: Nikolai Nikiforov is one of the youngest and up-and-coming stars in Russian politics. He was born in 1982 to a wealthy family in Russia. He attended Kazan Federal University where he studied economics -- there are deliberations about his defense in which almost 97 pages are undocumented and uncited in his thesis. At the young age of 19, he was the Deputy Director of the Kazan Portal Company, serving the largest city of Tatarstan, Russia in information technology. In 2010, he became the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Information and Communication of Tatarstan. In 2012, he became the Minister of Communications and Mass Media, directing telecoms, media outlets, and IT tools to match that of Putin’s national vision. In 2014, he was responsible for redirecting the Russian government away from Apple’s iOS systems and towards Samsung’s Android systems instead and became one of the developers of the e-government services used today. He is married to Svetlana Nikiforova with two daughters and two sons.

Overt Powers: *Implements policies regarding tele-and-mass communications *Oversees internet usage by Russian citizens and foreigners *Promotes Russian government views to the domestic and international markets *Pursues the modernization of Russia’s electronic grid for media dissemination *Modernization of Russian government and connection to modernization of media

11. Minister of Defence: Sergey Shoigu Sergey Shoigu has enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks of the Russian and Soviet bureaucracy. He was born in Chadan, Tuva, in the Tyva Republic of South-Eastern Siberia to a Tuvan father and a Russian mother. He proved himself to be an exceptional student, and went onto the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute to study civil engineering., After matriculating, he worked in construction on projects that occurred all over the USSR. In the 1980’s, he became more active within the Communist Party and became a part of the Akban branch. In 1990, he attracted the eyes of the Russian government and became the Deputy Chief of State Architecture and Construction Committee of the Russian Federation. In 1991, at the dawn of the fall of the Soviet Union, he was appointed the head of the Rescuer Corps, Russia’s Ministry on Emergency Situations. In 1999, he became a party leader of the Unity Party -- widely backed by the Kremlin -- and experienced his breakthrough in Russian politics. In 2012, he ran for the Governor of Moscow Oblast, the largest city in Russia, and was elected on April 5, 2012. That November, he was appointed Minister of Defence after Putin ousted Anatoly Serdyukov from the role. He has been criticized of creating militarized structures in previous departments and administrations with a united framework in mind. While Defence Minister, Shoigu was accused of infiltrating Ukraine with ‘pro-Russian’ forces within the Ukrainian army and molding aggressive behavior in the Arctic. He also oversaw Russia’s first involvement in the Syrian war, in partnership with the Assad regime, in 2015. He is married to Irina Shoigu and has two daughters with her. Page 11 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Overt Powers: *Operates day-to-day administrative, tactical, and logistical control of the armed forces *Responsible for overseeing military cooperation with the regional allies *Deflecting NATO encroachment and coordinating with other departments on this issue *Establishes new peripheries of influence on the Eastern border and the Arctic *Implements President Putin’s orders regarding military and national vision for a powerful Russia *In charge of military education and readiness projects across Russia

12. Minister of Education and Science: Olga Vasilieva Olga Vasilieva was born in 1960 in Bugulma, to middle-class parents in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. She attended the Moscow State Institution of Culture in 1979, graduating with a degree in Choir and Conducting, and originally pursued a career in music and orchestral arts. In 1987, she experienced a sudden change, and went onto the Insitute of History of the USSR’s Academy of Sciences to pursue a Ph.D. program in historical studies. She wrote her thesis dissertation on the Soviet States and its relation to the Orthodox Church during the years of the Great Patriotic War. She became one of the most famous authors and sources of literary ideas in Russia, publishing over 16 articles and 8 books on historical studies and education policies. Before her current role, she was a prolific writer and was a Professor in history. She became Minister of Education in 2015, and has implemented policies such as mandatory farm work for young school children, called “agricultural brigades.”

Overt Powers: *Oversees the regulation and maintenance of educational and scientific institutions within Russia; *Responsible for regulating and promoting high tech programs; *Structures and mandates the annual curriculum for Russian school systems; *Creates new and necessary extracurricular school programs; *In charge of state research centers and universities;

13. Minister of Natural Resources: Sergey Donskoy was born in 1968 in Elektrostal, Russia, in Moscow Oblast. His family was a prominent family that profited off of the Communist USSR, and allowed Sergey to live a comfortable lifestyle as a young student. He graduated from Gubkin Russia State University of Oil and Gas in 1992, wishing to become involved in the Russian government’s expanding oil export trade. Previous to his position in the Russian Government, he held positions in business and industry, including at companies like Zarubezhneft and LUKOil. He is single and unmarried. In 2012 he became the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia in the Medvedev cabinet.

Overt Powers: *Responsible for the regulation and maintenance of Russian oil fields and extraction sites *Maintains and use of Russia’s oil and gas pipelines with other countries *Responsible for implementing safe and accessible measures of extracting minerals, gas, and other natural resources across the state of Russia *Maintains clean and safe water systems for Russian systems, such as desalinization policies *Responsible for deep earth mining and resource extraction policy, as well as nuclear and mining safety policies

14. Minister of Agriculture and Fishing: Alexander Tkachov Tkachov was born in 1960 to a family in Vyselki, Krasnodar krai, a province in the North-Caucasus region in southern Russia. Having graduated from the Krasnodar Polytechnic Institute, with a desire to enter Russian politics, Alexander Tkachov has held a role in both state and federal governments since the 1990’s. He was elected to his local legislative assembly in Krasnodar krai in 1994, where he helped regulate day-to-day concerns of the local population. In 1995 he was elected to the state Duma, the lower house of the Russian Federal Assembly (the legislature), as a lawmaker. In 2000, he then decided to run for become the Governor of his hometown, Krasnodar Krai, where he served two four-year terms. He was appointed to become the Minister of Agriculture and Fishing by Vladimir Putin in April 2015. He has been found to be inciteful of nationalist views, especially xenophobia against Central Asians, Middle Easterners, and Asians. He is married to his wife Olga Tkachova and has two kids with her. He is considered a very close friend of Vladimir Putin. Page 12 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Overt Powers: *In charge of food and agriculture production, and trade with the international community *Regulates rural development and market controls *Oversees animal and veterinary affairs *Conducts operational routines over all food industries, including livestock and fish

15. Minister of Industry and Trade: Denis Manturov was born in 1969 in the province of Murmansk in Northern Russia. He struggled with his family to eat each year, and as a child wished to lead a life in the spotlight in Russian politics. He travelled to Moscow to study sociology at the State Moscow University, where he graduated in 1994. After graduation, he became the Deputy Director of the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, a Russian joint-stock company specializing in Soviet aircraft manufacturing. In 2000, he became the Commercial Director of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, a design bureau and production plant for Soviet helicopters headquartered in Tomilino. He rose to become the Director General of the United Industrial Corporation, Oboronprom, an aerospace holding company that helps produce helicopters, air-defense systems, engines, and other radio-electronic systems to aid the Russian military in its operations around the world. During that time, he was also the Deputy Chairman of the Federal state Investments Corporation. In 2006, he went back to school to study state service and policy at the Russian State Academy for State Service, grooming himself for a illustrious career in governmental service. A year later, in 2007, he became the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and after four years in the role, was promoted to Minister in 20012. He has been awarded the Order of Honor. He is married to Natalia Manturova and has two children with her.

Overt Powers: *In charge of regulating defense and civil industries *Maintains and enhances metrology and technical standardization practices *Regulates foreign trade with surrounding neighbors and international community *Responsible for aviation and military technological development *In charge of civil state affairs conducting relations with this department

16. Minister of Transport: Maksim Sokolov Maxim Sokolov was born in Leningrad in 1969. As a young adolescent, he demonstrated a clear wish to serve the USSR Armed Forces and dedicated his life to defending the Kremlin’s policies. His education was interrupted with a required two- year service to the Soviet Army, and then finished university at Leningrad State University, where he initially studied cosmology and then graduated with honors in economics in 1991. He then worked as a lecturer on economics at Leningrad State University for two years, and decided to pivot his career path towards academia. In 1992, he became the Chairman of the Rossi Company, a tour business company, and then Corporation S, which built luxurious homes in St. Petersburg. In 2004 he entered the political realm, working for the local St. Petersburg town council and administration, heading the city’s strategic projects and building plans. He then received his Ph.D. in economics, and later became a professor and chair of the department of the Higher Management School of St. Petersburg State University, where he was revered by students for his high-energy lectures. In 2009, he moved to the capital in Moscow to become Director of the Department of Industry and Infrastructures. Just three years later, in 2012, he was appointed Minister of Transportation.

Overt Powers: *Regulates and controls travel and traffic by land and highways, rail, air and sea *In charge of surveying and mapping geographical features *Ensures safety of all commercial and transport routes *Creates and assigns more equipment to be made for all of the previous powers listed

17. Minister of Finance: Anton Siluanov was born in 1963 in Moscow, Russia. He attended Moscow Finance Institute with a focus in finance and credit in 1985. After graduation, he became a senior economist for the Russian Ministry of Finance for two years, and then enlisted with the Soviet Army for another two years. After serving with the Soviet military, he returned to the Ministry of Finance as a chief consultant, and then became the Deputy Head of Budget Office with the Ministry. He led the macro- economic policy and banking activities after the collapse of the Soviet Union, until 2003, and then became the Deputy Minister of Finance and Director of the intergovernmental relations of the Ministry, handling budgetary and political interactions with Ministries of Trade, Defence, and others. In 2011, he became the Minister of Finance, and has since then overseen the bailout fund for Ukraine and relations with the IMF. He is married and has one son. Page 13 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Overt Powers: *In charge of financial policy and macro/micro policy- implementation *Institutes tax policies and monetary policies in accordance with fluctuating global economy *Regulates national debt and the debt ceiling *Oversees inter-relations between Russian departments and Russian financial ties with other governments *Implements legal regulations for inter-budgetary relations, financial and securities markets, accounting, auditing, customs and tariffs, production of precious metals and stones, investments of pension funds and civil service members, organization of lotteries and gambling, and organization of credit cooperation

18. Minister of Energy: Alexander Novak was born 1971 in the Donetsk region of the Ukrainian SSR. He proved to be a promising student as a young boy, and attended Norilsk Industrial Institute in 1993 to become an economic specialist in Metallurgy Management, specifically studying the chemical and physical behavior of metallic elements. He became the Head of the Financial Bureau of the Norilsk city Mining and Smelting Complex, and later served as the Deputy Mayor of economics in 2000, where he served for two years. There, he specialized in tax planning and regulation, and expanded the city’s economic landscape. In 2009, he attended the MV Lomonosov -- Moscow State University to study management. He later became the Head the Administration Finance management department, and oversaw the finance authority center. In 2008, he became the Deputy Finance Minister in the Russian government, and then became the Minister of Energy in 2012. He received the Order of Honor in 2010. He is married and has two daughters.

Overt Powers: *In charge of energy policy and consumption, and strategizing future Russian energy policy *Regulates oil and gas and renewable energy use for Russia *Maintains state property used for energy production *Strategizes future oil and natural gas relationships between Russian and partner states, like Israel and Germany *Ensures energy security along with production and use of oils, natural,and energy resources *Develops proposals for new pipelines, projects, and constructions, including investments

19. Minister of Justice: Alexander Konovalov Alexander Konovalov was born in 1968 in Leningrad. He wanted originally to pursue a career in academia and legal studies, and attended Leningrad State University’s law program. While at the program, he studied Orthodox theological educations at a nearby university and served in the Soviet Army from 1986 to 1988. After graduating in 1992, he became a paralegal in the St. Petersburg Prosecutor’s office, and became a defense lawyer. In 2005, he became the Chief Prosecutor of Bashkortostan, the most populous republic in Russia. He caught the eye of Vladimir Putin in 2005, when he became Putin’s Head of State envoy to the Volga Federal District, where he represented the Putin government as its ambassador and promoter of its policies. Putin was pleased with his work, and appointed him the Minister of Justice in 2008, at a time when Putin’s policies were intensely disputed by national and international legal scholars. He is a member of the Security Council of Russia and a professor of Civil Law at the Russian Legal Academy of the Ministry of Justice of Russia.

Overt Powers: *Registration and information gathering on political parties and NGOs *Responsible for the execution of criminal penalties *Manages corruption among different departments and bureaus *In charge of forensic investigations and law enforcement *Upholds bilateral and multilateral treaties and institutions in conjunction with other offices *Organizes local governments, territorial structures, and education of legal aid

20. Russian Ambassador to the United States: Anatoly Antonov Anatoly Antonov was born in 1955 in Omsk, a small province in southwest Siberia, in the USSR. He graduated from MGIMO in 1978 with a postgraduate degree in International Economic Relations, which he hoped to use to become a career bureaucrat. He went onto the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he specialized in nuclear policies and weapons of mass destruction (WMD), with chemical and biological agents. He demonstrated great concern about nuclear accidents and ensuring international security from WMDs. He was appointed as Director of the Department for Security and Disarmament in 2004, and then became the Deputy Minister of Defence by presidential decree. While Deputy Minister, he became sanctioned by the European Union after the Ukrainian intervention, after evidence that he helped infiltrate the Ukrainian army with pro-Russian militias. After a year as Deputy Minister, Antonov decided to pursue his doctorate in controlling nuclear Page 14 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia weapons from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, graduating in 2012. While he stresses similar values with the international community on the nuclear weapons policy, he is considered one of the largest hardliners against the West and the United States. He was considered to be a candidate for the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, but Putin appointed him as the Ambassador to the United States in 2016, before the presidential election.

Overt Powers: *Able to discuss laterally with Secretary of State of the United States and coordinate shared interests *In charge of maintaining all Russian diplomatic missions on US soil *Attends dinners and occasions to promote Russian values and culture in the Washington policy circle

21. Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB): Alexander Bortnikov 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 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: *In charge of border security and counter-terrorist operations *In charge of domestic security and surveillance *Controls all FSB and former KGB agents and disseminates them in intelligence operations all over the world (including GRU operatives) *Carries out out political assassinations at the request of the President

22. Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR): Sergey Naryshkin Sergey Naryshkin was born in Leningrad in 1954. He wished for a life in public service, and attended the Leningrad Institute of Mechanics, graduating with a degree in engineering in 1987. He went onto the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute and was the Deputy Vice-Rector. He became a civil servant and Soviet diplomat in the 1980s, where he went to the Russian Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, and processed visas and executed consular activities. He attended the International Management Institute of Leningrad where he studied economics, and then worked for the Committee for Economy and Finance at the city’s Mayoral Office. In 1998, he worked in the Leningrad Investment Department, and then became the Chairman of the External Economic and International Relations Committee, and then served on the Board of Directors of the oil company, Rosneft in 2004. He became Deputy in 2007, in charge of the Government Executive Office and external economic activity. In 2008, he then became the chief of the Presidential Administration of Russia, and then was appointed chairman of the Historical Truth Commission. In 2016, he became the chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia, heading operations abroad. He is married to his wife Tatiana Yakubchik and has two children with her.

Overt Powers: *Responsible for all espionage and operations outside of the Russian Federation (in conjunction with the GRU) *Coordinates gathering intelligence and targeted assassinations (nationally and internationally) *Conduct joint-operations with foreign actors *Implement active measures to protect Russia against domestic and foreign agents *Personally ordered to act by the President without outside approval

Footnotes [1] BBC. "Chechnya profile - Timeline." [2] Bhattacharji, Preeti. "Chechen Terrorism." Council on Foreign Relations. [3] Ibid. [4] Hughes, James. Chechnya. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. JSTOR. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] Ibid. [8] Batal al-Shishani, Murad. Conflict, Crime, and the State in Postcommunist Eurasia. Philadelphia: University of Page 15 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia

Pennsylvania Press, 2014. JSTOR. [9] BBC. "Chechnya profile - Timeline." [10] Kipp, Jacob W. "Russia's War in Chechnya." The Brown Journal of World Affairs 8, no. 1 (2001): 47-62. JSTOR. [11] Ibid [12] BBC. "Chechnya profile - Timeline.” [13] Batal al-Shishani, Murad. Conflict, Crime, and the State in Postcommunist Eurasia. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. JSTOR. [14] Kipp, Jacob W. "Russia's War in Chechnya." The Brown Journal of World Affairs 8, no. 1 (2001): 47-62. JSTOR. [15] "Russia 'bombing Chechen refugees'." The Scotsman, October 30, 1999. Global Issues in Context. [16] BBC. "Chechnya profile - Timeline." [17] O'Laughlin, John, and Frank D. W. Witmer. "The Localized Geographies of Violence in the North Caucasus of Russia, 1999-2007." Taylor & Francis. JSTOR. [18] Walicki, Nadine. "IDPs from Chechnya in the Russian Federation." Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. [19] "Russia 'bombing Chechen refugees'." The Scotsman, October 30, 1999. Gale. [20] Ibid. [21] Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. "Russia: The situation of internally displaced persons from Chechnya (January 2003 - November 2004)." [22] Ibid [23] Internal Displacement Monitoring Center. "Russian Federation IDP Figures Analysis." [24] Ibid. [25] Boutilier, Cody. "Racism Runs Deep in Russia." National Review, February 2014.

Works Cited Batal al-Shishani, Murad. Conflict, Crime, and the State in Postcommunist Eurasia. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. JSTOR. BBC. "Chechnya profile - Timeline." Bhattacharji, Preeti. "Chechen Terrorism." Council on Foreign Relations. Hughes, James. Chechnya. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. JSTOR. Kipp, Jacob W. "Russia's War in Chechnya." The Brown Journal of World Affairs 8, no. 1 (2001): 47-62. JSTOR. Kramer, Andrew E. "Gay Men in Chechnya Are Killed, Paper Says." New York Times, April 2, 2017. Gale. Lee Myers, Stephen. "Chechen refugees wary of resettlement." New York Times, October 6, 2002. Gale. O'Laughlin, John, and Frank D. W. Witmer. "The Localized Geographies of Violence in the North Caucasus of Russia, 1999-2007." Taylor & Francis. JSTOR. "Russia 'bombing Chechen refugees'." The Scotsman, October 30, 1999. Gale. Walicki, Nadine. "IDPs from Chechnya in the Russian Federation." Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Wines, Michael. "Russian forces begin evictions of Chechens from refugee camp." New York Times, November 28, 2002. Gale. Yaffa, Joshua. "Putin's Dragon." The New Yorker, February 2016release, September 25, 2015. The White House Archives. Accessed November 11, 2017.