ArcheoBiblioBase: Archives in Russia

*Istoriko-dokumental'nyi departament Ministerstva inostrannykh del RF (IDD MID)

[Historico-Documentary Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Agency: Ministerstvo inostrannykh del RF (MID Rossii)
[Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Previous Names

• 1992-1993 - Istoriko-dokumental'noe upravlenie MID RF (IDU MID RF)
  [Historico-Documentary Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
• 1958-1992 - Istoriko-diplomaticheskoe upravlenie MID SSSR (IDU MID SSSR)
  [Historico-Diplomatic Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR]
• 1946-1958 - Arkhivnoe upravlenie MID SSSR
  [Archival Administration MID SSSR]

About IDD MID

Two separate archives operate as divisions of IDD MID RF under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)—the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation (AVP RF, C-2), holding post-1917 records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire (AVPRI, C-3),consisting of pre-revolutionary materials.

Access

Requests for access by researchers to either archive under the MFA should be presented in an official letter from the researcher's sponsoring institution or Embassy, either to the director of the archive needed or to IDD MID, at least one month in advance. Such a letter should indicate the researcher's institutional affiliation and position, purpose of research, topic, files needed, and date or prospective visit. If a foreigner will require an interpreter such information should also be included. Due to limited space in the reading room, researchers should confirm their prospective visit no less than five days in advance. Details are specified on the IDD MID website.

It is recommended that prospective researchers write even further in advance indicating the subject and expected period of research, if their subject may require more sensitive materials and possible declassification.

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