CHANCERIESTHE DIPLOMATIC ATLAS

Embassy of the Russian Federation

Diplomatic history and full roster

Embassy of the Russian Federation

2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC

The principal office building rises around an open courtyard above the Wisconsin Avenue campus.

FactValueBasis and sources
Constructed1985verified Housing, school, kindergarten and sports facilities were completed in 1979; administrative and ceremonial buildings in 1985. The ceremonial inauguration followed in September 1994.
  1. search.globescope.com
  2. russiancouncil.ru
Acquired by Russia1969 (lease)verified An 85 year lease to the USSR. DC records list the United States Office of Foreign Missions as owner.
  1. search.globescope.com
  2. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
  3. russiancouncil.ru
NeighborhoodGlover Parkverified; The Glover Park local history identifies the Russian embassy complex at the former Mount Alto site as a neighborhood institution.
  1. gloverparkhistory.com
ArchitectMikhail Posokhinverified
  1. search.globescope.com
  2. russiancouncil.ru
Rooms735–1675 est.estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this mixed office, residential and public property, assume 45%–65% of the recorded 900,000 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 350–550 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the whole Mount Alto campus, including offices and residential blocks. Estimated room range.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Floor area900,000 sq ftverified; DC CAMA gross building area, parcel 1300/0564
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Site area549,000 sq ftverified; Parcel total: 1300/0564. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
2026 Value$430.9Mverified; Parcel total: 1300/0564. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov

Complete property record

Russian Ambassador’s Residence

1125 16th Street NW, Washington, DC

Nathan C. Wyeth’s former Pullman House has a three-bay facade, a steep slate mansard and a lower wing beside the garden. Russia acquired it in 1913.

FactValueBasis and sources
Constructed1911verified The HABS architectural record supplies the construction span. CAMA records 1890, which conflicts with the building history and is not adopted.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
  2. tile.loc.gov
Acquired by Russia1913verified The HABS record states the house was sold to Russia in 1913.
  1. tile.loc.gov
NeighborhoodDowntownverified; 1125 16th Street NW is the Pullman House in the downtown portion of the Sixteenth Street Historic District, south of Scott Circle. Geographic neighborhood name.
  1. tile.loc.gov
ArchitectNathan C. Wyethverified HABS credits Wyeth. It also records remodeling by Eugene Schoen in 1933 and enlargement of the chancery wing in 1977.
  1. tile.loc.gov
Rooms35–75 est.estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this residential reception property, assume 55%–70% of the recorded 31,774 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 300–450 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the recorded building area; the interior has not been independently measured. Estimated room range.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Floor area31,800 sq ftverified; DC CAMA gross building area, parcel 0197/0841
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
Site area16,300 sq ftverified; Parcel total: 0197/0841. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
2026 Value$23.0Mverified; Parcel total: 0197/0841. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value.
  1. maps2.dcgis.dc.gov

Complete property record

Historic Moments

The first accredited representatives

1809-07-14

Andrei Dashkov presents his credentials to James Madison, formally establishing diplomatic relations. John Quincy Adams takes up the American mission in St. Petersburg later that year.

The Alaska purchase

30 March 1867

Secretary of State William Seward and Russian minister Eduard de Stoeckl sign the treaty for the United States to purchase Alaska for $7.2 million. The agreement marks a major nineteenth century negotiation between the two missions.

Washington recognizes the Soviet Union

1933-11-16

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Maxim Litvinov exchange letters establishing normal diplomatic relations. The agreement ends nearly sixteen years of American refusal to recognize the Soviet government.

American and Soviet troops meet

1945-04-25

American and Soviet soldiers make contact along the Elbe as their armies advance into Germany. The meeting at Torgau becomes a lasting image of their wartime alliance.

A handshake in orbit

17 July 1975

Apollo and Soyuz dock in Earth orbit, and Thomas Stafford and Alexei Leonov exchange a handshake through the hatch. The joint mission turns détente into a practical test of international cooperation in space.

Signing the INF Treaty

8 December 1987

Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in the White House East Room. The agreement provides for eliminating an entire class of U.S. and Soviet ground launched missiles.

Chiefs of Mission

DiplomatOfficeRecorded serviceStatus
Alexander DarchievAmbassador2025–PresentCurrent
Anatoly AntonovAmbassador2017–2024Former
Sergey KislyakAmbassador2008–2017Former
Yuri UshakovAmbassador1998–2008Former
Yuli VorontsovAmbassador1994–1998Former
Vladimir LukinAmbassador1992–1994Former
Viktor KomplektovAmbassador1991–1992Former
Alexander BessmertnykhAmbassador1990–1991Former
Yuri DubininAmbassador1986–1990Former
Anatoly DobryninAmbassador1962–1986Former
Mikhail MenshikovAmbassador1958–1962Former
Georgiy ZarubinAmbassador1952–1958Former
Aleksandr PanyushkinAmbassador1947–1952Former
Nikolai NovikovAmbassador1946–1947Former
Andrei GromykoAmbassador1943–1946Former
Maxim LitvinovAmbassador1941–1943Former
Konstantin UmanskyAmbassador1939–1941Former
Alexander TroyanovskyAmbassador1934–1939Former
Boris E. SkvirskyChargé d’affairesRecorded 1933Former
C. OnouChargé d’affairesRecorded 1917Former
Boris A. BakhmeteffAmbassador1917–1922Former
George BakhmeteffAmbassador1911–1917Former
Baron Roman RosenAmbassador1905–1911Former
Gregory de WollantChargé d’affaires1897–1898 (documented acting service)Former
Comte CassiniAmbassador1898–1905 (documented service)Former
E. de KotzebueMinister1896–1897 (documented service)Former
Alexander de SomowChargé d’affaires1895–1896 (documented acting service)Former
Prince CantacuzeneMinister1893–1895 (documented service)Former
Baron von SchillingChargé d’affairesDocumented 1892Former
Karl von StruveMinister1882–1892Former
Mikhail BartholomeiMinister1880–1882Former
Nikolai ShishkinMinister1875–1880Former
Heinrich von OffenbergMinister1873–1875Former
Konstantin CatacazyMinister1869–1871Former
Eduard de StoecklMinister1857–1868Former
Eduard de StoecklChargé d’affaires1854–1857Former
Alexander de BodiscoMinister1838–1854Former
Yegor KrehmerChargé d’affairesRecorded 1837Former
Baron von Osten-SackenChargé d’affairesRecorded 1832Former
Paul von KrüdenerMinister1827–1837Former
Baron de MaltitzChargé d’affairesRecorded 1826Former
Baron van Tuyll van SerooskerkenMinister1823–1826Former
George EllisenChargé d’affaires1822–1823Former
Pierre de PoleticaMinister1819–1822Former
Andrei DashkovMinister1811–1819Former
Fedor von PahlenMinister1810–1811Former
Andrei DashkovChargé d’affairesCredentials 1809Former