Vladislav Surkov
Vladislav Yuryevich Surkov (Russian: Владислав Юрьевич Сурков; born 21 September 1962 or 1964) is a Russian politician and businessman. He was First Deputy Chief of the Russian Presidential Administration from 1999 to 2011, during which time he was often viewed as the main ideologist of the Kremlin who proposed and implemented the concept of sovereign democracy in Russia. From December 2011 until May 2013, Surkov served as the Russian Federation's Deputy Prime Minister. After his resignation, Surkov returned to the Presidential Executive Office and became a personal adviser of Vladimir Putin on relationships with Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Ukraine. He was removed from this duty by presidential order in February 2020.
Vladislav Surkov | |
|---|---|
| Владислав Сурков | |
Surkov in 2012 | |
| Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation | |
| In office 20 September 2013 – 18 February 2020 | |
| President | Vladimir Putin |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Russia — Head of the Government Executive Office | |
| In office 21 May 2012 – 8 May 2013 | |
| Prime Minister | Dmitry Medvedev |
| Preceded by | Vyacheslav Volodin |
| Succeeded by | Sergey Prikhodko |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Russia | |
| In office 27 December 2011 – 21 May 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia | |
| In office 15 May 2008 – 27 December 2011 | |
| President | Dmitry Medvedev |
| Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia | |
| In office 3 August 1999 – 12 May 2008 | |
| President | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 September 1962/64 (age 59 or 61) Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Political party | United Russia |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | International University in Moscow |
| Signature | |
He has the federal state civilian service rank of 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation.
Surkov is perceived by many to be a key figure with much power and influence in the administration of Vladimir Putin. According to The Moscow Times, this perception is not dependent on the official title Surkov might hold at any one time in the Putin government. BBC documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis credits Surkov's blend of theater and politics with keeping Putin, and Putin's chosen successors, in power since 2000.
Journalists in Russia and abroad have speculated that Surkov writes under the pseudonym Nathan Dubovitsky, although the Kremlin denies it.