Putin appoints Dmitry Belov as Russia's ambassador to Paraguay

President Vladimir Putin appointed Dmitry Belov (Дмитрий Белов) as Russia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Paraguay, according to Russian news reports published on October 15. RIA Novosti said the corresponding presidential decree had been placed on the official website for publication of legal acts. RBC also cited a presidential decree in reporting the appointment, while TASS reported that Belov had become the new ambassador. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

Belov replaces Alexander Pisarev (Александр Писарев) as head of the diplomatic mission in Paraguay. RIA Novosti reported that Putin had relieved Pisarev of his ambassadorial duties. Kommersant likewise identified Pisarev as Belov's predecessor in the Latin American republic. Before his appointment as ambassador, Belov was deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Latin American department, according to Kommersant's account of his career. [ 1 , 4 ]

Kommersant reported that Belov was born on August 17, 1965, and graduated from the geography faculty of Moscow State University. He holds a candidate of economic sciences degree. The newspaper said he had also worked at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Latin America and in Russia's embassies in Colombia and Uruguay. Its biographical account listed English, Spanish and French as languages he speaks. Kommersant also reported that he holds the diplomatic rank of envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiary, second class. The decree cited by RIA Novosti appoints him to the post of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Paraguay. [ 1 , 4 ]