Dmitry Fyodorovich Mezentsev (russian: Дми́трий Фёдорович Ме́зенцев; born 18 August 1959,

Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

) is a Russian politician and diplomat serving since 2021 as the State Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. Previously he was Ambassador of Russia to Belarus (2019–2021),

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

from

Sakhalin Oblast Sakhalin Oblast ( rus, Сахали́нская о́бласть, r=Sakhalínskaya óblast', p=səxɐˈlʲinskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) comprising the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands in the Russian ...

(2015–2019), Secretary-General of the

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian politics, political, economy, economic and security organization. It is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geography, geographic scope and world population, population, c ...

(2013–2015) and

Governor of Irkutsk Oblast The Governor of Irkutsk Oblast (russian: Губернатор Иркутской области) is highest official of Irkutsk Oblast. The office of governor of Irkutsk Governorate was established in 1783 as part of the Russian Empire. In 1926, ...

(2009–2012). In 2012 Mezentsev ran for President of Russia, but was rejected by the Central Election Commission.

2012 presidential campaign

Mezentsev tried to run for President of Russia in 2012. On 14 December 2011, the trade Union Committee of the East Siberian railway nominated Dmitry Mezentsev as a presidential candidate. His candidacy was supported by the then President of

Russian Railways Russian Railways (russian: link=no, ОАО «Российские железные дороги» (ОАО «РЖД»), OAO Rossiyskie zheleznye dorogi (OAO RZhD)) is a Russian fully state-owned vertically integrated railway company, both manag ...

Vladimir Yakunin Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin (russian: Владимир Иванович Якунин; born 30 June 1948) is a Russian businessman and close Vladimir Putin confidant. He was president of Russian Railways from June 2005 to August 2015. In March 2 ...

. However, the CEC rejected Mezentsev's candidacy, as after checking the signatures collected in his support, too many signatures were not recognized as valid. On 19 March 2021, Mezentsev was relieved of his post as ambassador to Belarus by presidential decree. On the same day

President of Belarus The president of the Republic of Belarus ( be, Прэзідэнт Рэспублікі Беларусь; russian: Президент Республики Беларусь) is the head of state and head of government of Belarus. The office was cre ...

Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (as transliterated from Russian language, Russian; also transliterated from Belarusian language, Belarusian as Alyaksand(a)r Ryhoravich Lukashenka;, ; rus, Александр Григорьевич Лука� ...

appointed Mezentsev State Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, replacing

Grigory Rapota Grigory Alekseevich Rapota (russian: Григорий Алексеевич Рапота) (born 5 February 1944) is a Russian politician who currently serves as a Senator from the executive authority of Kursk Oblast. Prior to his appointment, he ...

Awards

* Order For Merit to the Fatherland 4th class * Order of Honour * Medal "For Construction of the Baikal-Amur Railway" (USSR) * Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honour (France)

References

1959 births Living people Diplomats from Saint Petersburg Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Russian Federation) Members of the Federation Council of Russia (after 2000) Ambassadors of Russia to Belarus Governors of Irkutsk Oblast Politicians from Saint Petersburg Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia) Saint Petersburg State University faculty Officiers of the Légion d'honneur {{Russia-politician-stub