Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Geographical directorate of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate (EECAD) is a geographical directorate within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) responsible for the United Kingdom’s diplomatic, policy, and operational engagement with Eastern Europe (including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).

In Written Evidence to Parliament dated 23 May 2016 the FCO wrote:

The Government takes a fully coordinated approach to the development and implementation of Russia policy, under the auspices of the National Security Council. All relevant Government Departments are involved in discussing and shaping policy towards Russia. There are a structured series of cross-Whitehall meetings to ensure coordination and coherence between Departments. The UK Strategic Defence and Security Review set out the long-term challenge posed by Russia and the Government’s response. The Government’s objectives are to protect UK interests and those of our allies and partners; to uphold the rules-based international order in the face of Russian challenges; to engage with Russia on global security issues and in key areas of shared interest; to promote our values, including the rule of law and human rights; and to build stronger links between the British and Russian people more widely... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate (EECAD) has the lead responsibility in Whitehall for developing the Government’s Russia policy, and is responsible for advising FCO Ministers on Russia policy. As set out above, the FCO coordinates closely with other Government Departments under the auspices of the National Security Council. Senior officials from all relevant government departments meet regularly to ensure policy coordination and coherence.

Organisational position

EECAD sits within the Defence and Security Directorate General (formerly Defence and Intelligence Directorate General') of the FCDO. It operates alongside the Information Threats and Influence Directorate (now renamed Hybrid Threats Directorate), which maintains links to intelligence functions.

Other directorates within the same Defence and Intelligence Directorate General include:

• National Security Directorate
• Consular and Crisis Directorate
• Euro-Atlantic Security Directorate
• Defence and International Security Directorate

Departments and specialist units

While internal sub-department names are sometimes adjusted, the following are the primary known departments and specialist units that operate within or closely alongside EECAD:

• Russia Department: Responsible for developing the UK’s policy toward Russia and advising ministers on Russia-related matters.
• Central Asia Department: Manages relations and development programmes for the five Central Asian nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
• Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood Department: Focuses on the “Eastern Neighbourhood” region, which traditionally includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova.
• Ukraine Department: Often treated as a high-priority, standalone unit within the directorate’s broader scope, managing specific humanitarian and recovery programmes such as the Humanitarian Assistance, Recovery and Protection (HARP) Programme.
• EECAD Programme Team: Oversees the administration of various funds, including the Integrated Security Fund (formerly the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund – CSSF) and the Good Governance Fund.
• Eastern Research Group: A cadre of long-term analytical experts (formerly part of the FCO Research Analysts) that provides in-depth Russia and regional expertise to inform policy.
• Ukraine Co-ordination Cell/Ukraine Campaign Group
• EECAD Contingency Unit
• Ukraine Early Recovery and Reconstruction Department
• Humanitarian and Development Department

In addition, EECAD has hosted or worked closely with two cross-government specialist units:

• HMG Russia Unit: Created in 2017 as a cross-Whitehall coordinating body to deliver the National Security Council-endorsed Russia Strategy.
• Russian Language Programme (established 2014): An internal FCO training initiative that later evolved into or fed directly into the Counter Disinformation & Media Development (CDMD) programme focused on countering Russian influence through media and information operations.

Sections

• HMG Russia Unit

People

Known Directors and senior staff

EECAD Leadership (publicly known)

Role	Name	Tenure	Notes / Reference
Director, EECAD	Christopher Allan	May 2023 – present	Current Director of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Deputy Director, EECAD	Lorraine Fassi (also spelled Fassie)	current (as of 2025)	Deputy Director; accompanied Director Christopher Allan on official visits to Moscow in January 2025.
Director, EECAD	Ben Fender CMG OBE	Feb 2021 - May 2026	Director Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Additional Director EECAD	Rupert Ainley OBE	2022-2023
Director, EECAD	Martin Harris	c. 2021–2022	Held role during 2021–2022 period.
Director, EECAD	Laurie Bristow	2010–2012	Earlier holder of the post.

Other staff

• Rosalyn Eales - co-director from August 2023
• Christopher Joyce - Deputy Head of Russia Policy Department and reportedly member of HMG Russia Unit
• Craig Oliphant Head, Eastern Research Group at Foreign and Commonwealth Office until 2011.
• Sarah Nurton, Eastern Research Group, RA Division (Russia focus), circa 2024
• Bilal Zahid
• James Beer - Head HMG Russia Unit
• Mark Diamond - HMG Russia Unit

Exposed by the Russians in 2013

• James William Thomas Ford

Expelled from Russia in 2018

23 British diplomats (staff of the British Embassy in Moscow) were expelled from Russia in March 2018. This was Russia’s response after the UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the Salisbury alleged Novichok poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. The Russian Foreign Ministry gave the British Embassy a list of 23 specific individuals who had to leave within days. No individual names were publicly released by either side.

• Christopher Sebastian Joyce

Expelled by the Russians in September 2024

Mugshots of the alleged British spies. L-R from top Blake Patel, 2, 3, Jessica Davenport, Callum Duff, Tom Stevenette

Jessica Davenport, alleged British spy

• Jessica Davenport
• Grace Elvin,
• Callum Andrew Duff
• Katharine Mcdonnell
• Blake Patel.
• Thomas John Hickson; Also given as Thomas John Hickson Stevenette and Thomas Stevenett

Expelled by the Russians in November 2024

• Edward Pryor Wilkes

Expelled by the Russians in March 2025

• Alkesh Odedra, the embassy’s second secretary, and Michael Skinner, the spouse of Tabassum Rashid, first secretary at the embassy’s political department.