AVP RF

Abbreviation of the Russian name of the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation (Arkhiv vneshnei politiki Rossiiskoi Federatsii) of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This archive dates back to 1920, when it was organized as a current political archive of the Soviet Foreign Office (NKID). It is a depository for the documents of the Foreign Office dating back to 1917. It was opened to Russian and foreign researchers in 1992, although access remains rather limited and requires a research permit obtained from an Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.