Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree appointing former Belgorod Region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov as Russia’s ambassador to partially recognized Abkhazia. The document was published on the official legal information portal.
On June 23, Gladkov’s candidacy for the post was approved by the State Duma committee for CIS affairs. Before that, he had led Belgorod Region since 2021.
Reports about Gladkov’s possible resignation began to surface in April 2026. Then, on May 13, it was announced that he had submitted his resignation as governor.
According to Meduza sources close to the presidential administration, the possibility of moving Gladkov to a job in Moscow had been under discussion for several years. Those talks involved a possible role in the government or in the State Duma.
The same sources described an appointment to Abkhazia as a “logical” next step in the politician’s career. They said Gladkov has the backing of people around Sergei Kiriyenko, who oversees the Kremlin’s political bloc and whose area of responsibility includes Abkhazia.
As a result, some time after leaving the governorship of Belgorod Region, Gladkov received a new appointment to diplomatic service.