Difference between revisions of "Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate"

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{{short description|'''Geographical directorate of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia'''}}
  
==Sections==
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'''Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate''' ('''[[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).
*[[HMG Russia Unit]]
 
==People==
 
  
*[[Ben Fender]] - director<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/people/ben-fender</ref>
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== Organisational position ==
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[[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.
  
===Exposed by the Russians in 2013===
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Other directorates within the same '''[[Defence and Intelligence Directorate General]]''' include:
*[[James William Thomas Ford]]
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* [[National Security Directorate]]
===Expelled by the Russians in September 2024===
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* [[Consular and Crisis Directorate]]
[[File:GXVnCrgXAAApxgE.jpg|thumb|right|500px|Mugshots of the alleged British spies. L-R from top [[Blake Patel]], 2, 3, [[Jessica Davenport]], [[Callum Duff]], [[Tom Stevenette]]]]
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* [[Euro-Atlantic Security Directorate]]
[[File:1536305161994.jpeg|thumb|right|400px|[[Jessica Davenport]], alleged British spy]]
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* [[Defence and International Security Directorate]]
*[[Jessica Davenport]]<ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-davenport-776442148/?originalSubdomain=uk</ref>
 
*[[Grace Elvin]], <ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-elvin-65625b160/</ref>
 
*[[Callum Andrew Duff]] <ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/cal-duff/?originalSubdomain=uk</ref>
 
*[[Katharine Mcdonnell]]<Ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathmacdonald1/?originalSubdomain=uk</ref>
 
*[[Blake Patel]].
 
* [[Thomas John Hickson]]; Also given as [[Thomas John Hickson Stevenette]] and [[Thomas Stevenett]]
 
  
===Expelled by the Russians in November 2024===
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== Departments and specialist units ==
*[[Edward Pryor Wilkes]]
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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]]:
  
===Expelled by the Russians in March 2025===
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* '''[[Russia Department]]''': Responsible for developing the UK’s policy toward Russia and advising ministers on Russia-related matters.
*[[Alkesh Odedra]], the embassy’s second secretary, and [[Michael Skinner]], the spouse of [[Tabassum Rashid]], first secretary at the embassy’s political department.
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* '''[[Central Asia Department]]''': Manages relations and development programmes for the five Central Asian nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
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* '''[[Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood Department]]''': Focuses on the “Eastern Neighbourhood” region, which traditionally includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova.
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* '''[[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]].
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* '''[[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]].
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* '''[[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.
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*[[Ukraine Co-ordination Cell]]/[[Ukraine Campaign Group]]
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*[[EECAD Contingency Unit]]
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*[[Ukraine Early Recovery and Reconstruction Department]]
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*[[Humanitarian and Development Department]]
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In addition, [[EECAD]] has hosted or worked closely with two cross-government specialist units:
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* '''[[HMG Russia Unit]]''': Created in 2017 as a cross-Whitehall coordinating body to deliver the National Security Council-endorsed Russia Strategy.
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* '''[[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.
  
==Notes==
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== Notes ==
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<references />
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[[Category:Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office]]
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[[Category:United Kingdom government departments]]
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[[Category:Diplomacy of the United Kingdom]]
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[[Category:2020 establishments in the United Kingdom]]

Revision as of 10:32, 7 May 2026

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).

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:

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:

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

Notes