I met Vladimir Ivanov as a result of engaging his wife Tatiana to assist as a translator on the occasion of the visit by a Russian entrepreneur (whose name escapes me but who had a business in Zelinagrad which is on the outskirts of Moscow near Sheremetova Airport) who wanted to visit some UK lighting companies with a view to buying UK product.
At the time Tatiana was working in the Visa Section of the Russian Embassy in London. When I met her she explained that her husband was the senior ministerial advisor to the Ambassador.
A few months later the Invanovs returned to Moscow where Vladimir became the senior ministerial advisor to the Foreign Minister with regard to US and UK matters. They had an apartment in Krilatskya, a residential region reserved for important Government personnel, and with it came a granny flat. Tatiana then joined my Russian Company as Office Manager and I stayed in their granny flat when in Moscow.
Vladimir and I enjoyed good single malt and we would have a drink together. When I told him of my interest in Albania he looked more than surprised and said, “Colin, now I know that you are MI6 because I grew up in Albania! My father was the Russian Ambassador there and I was taught to shoot by the Albanian Defence Minister.”
Later Vladimir was appointed Russian Ambassador to Nepal and he invited me to visit with him. Sadly I never could find the time.