The Chancellery of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, is deeply saddened to announce the death on March 22, 2023, the feast day of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, of Vladimir Evgenievich Churov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation from 2007 to 2016, writer and historian, teacher, Chairman of the Research Council of the Russian Military Historical Society, and knight of the Imperial Order of St. Anna First Class and of the Imperial Order of St. Vladimir Third Class. He was 70 years old.

V. E. Churov was born on March 17, 1953, in St. Petersburg (at that time, Leningrad), the son of a naval officer and academic, Evgenii Petrovich Churov, and of the philologist and editor Irina Vladimirovna Churova (née Brezhneva), the daughter of General V. I. Brezhnev. He graduated from the Department of Journalism and the Department of Physics at Leningrad State University. He worked as a researcher, and then from 1990 to 1993 served as a Deputy to the Leningrad City Council.

In 1991, he joined the Committee for Foreign Relations of the Administration of the City of St. Petersburg, which was then chaired by the future President of the Russian Federation, V. V. Putin. From 1995 to 2003, he served as the Deputy Chairman of this Committee and as the Chairman of its Department for International Cooperation. In these roles, V. E. Churov helped to organize the very first visit to Russia of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, Grand Duke Wladimir Kirillovich, and his wife, Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna in November 199. Later, he also helped arrange the visits of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, and Tsesarevich George Mikhailovich.

In 2003, he was elected a Deputy to the State Duma of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. He served as Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Relations with Independent States (states that were once part of the former Soviet Union and now independent).

In 2007, V. E. Churov was elected Chairman of the Central Elections Commission of the Russian Federation, and in 2011 was reelected for a second term, occupying the post until 2016.

In 2017, he was appointed an Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 2019 was granted the title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation.

V. E. Churov understood very well the importance of Russia’s monarchical tradition and the monarchical worldview, and he deeply respected the Russian Imperial House, sincerely and wholeheartedly supporting the Imperial family in its service from the very beginning of the Romanoff dynasty’s reentering the public life of Russia today.

He met often with the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, and members of her family, helped to organize many official visits by members of the dynasty to Russia, attended Divine services, academic and public conferences, memorial events, and feast day services and other events associated with the Imperial Orders of the House of Romanoff.

The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia appreciated enormously the service V. E. Churov rendered to the nation over the years, and awarded him the Imperial Order of St. Anna Second Class (2008), the Imperial Order of St. Vladimir Fourth Class (2013) and Third Class (2014), and the Imperial commemorative medals “The 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanoff, 1613-2013” and “The Anniversary of the Nation’s Triumph, 1613-2013.” On March 13, 2023, on the birthday of her son and heir, H.I.H. The Grand Duke George of Russia, and on the eve of his 70th birthday, the Head of the Imperial House of Russia signed a decree awarding Vladimir Evgenievich the Imperial Order of St. Anna First Class.

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, Grand Duke George of Russia, and his spouse, Princess Victoria Romanovna, extend their deepest condolences to Vladimir Evgenievich’s widow, Larissa Nikolaevna, their son, Evgenii Vladimirovich, to all their family, friends, and many colleagues.

May the Lord grant eternal rest to His newly-reposed service Vladimir in His Kingdom.

• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
• Title Title
•