Ambassador Maj Gen Joseph Nzabamwita has presented his letters of credence to Russian President Vladimir Putin, formally accrediting him as the Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Russian Federation.
The ceremony took place at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
In a post shared on his X account, Ambassador Maj Gen Nzabamwita said the event officially marked the start of his diplomatic mission as Rwanda’s representative to the world’s largest country by land area.
Rwanda and Russia maintain long-standing diplomatic relations rooted in mutual respect, respect for sovereignty, and a shared commitment to cooperation in development and peacebuilding.
Bilateral relations between the two countries span more than 60 years, having been established in October 1963, when Russia was part of the former Soviet Union.
Over the years, Rwanda and Russia have collaborated in various sectors, including education and training—particularly in science and technology—health, energy, and industrial development.
In December 2025, during a meeting in Cairo between Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, Minister Nduhungirehe welcomed the steady progress in strengthening bilateral cooperation.
He noted that discussions focused on the outcomes of Rwanda–Russia cooperation, guided by agreements signed in October 2019 to establish a Nuclear Science and Technology Centre aimed at supporting the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Russia also partners with Rwanda in education by offering university scholarships to Rwandan students across various disciplines and by providing training for officers of the Rwanda National Police.
Over the past 50 years, more than 100 Rwandan students have graduated from Russian universities in fields including technology, law, medicine, politics, and security.
