Academician Vitaly Zhurkin, founder of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has died.

"Vitaly Vladimirovich Zhurkin was an internationally renowned scientist, an expert in the field of European and international security, and Russian foreign policy. We have lost a great scientist, colleague, our teacher and mentor," the publication says on site Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Zhurkin was born in Moscow in 1928. In 1946, he entered the MGIMO University of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After graduation, he worked for Gosteleradio and the Asian and African department of the newspaper Pravda, and was in charge of its office in India. In 1968, Zhurkin was invited to work at the Institute USA and Canada RAS. There he started as the head of the department and gradually rose to the position of deputy director.

Later, in 1987, Zhurkin created the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences and headed it until 1999, and later received the title of honorary director, continuing to develop the institution. Thanks to the founder, the institute has become a center that unites European scientists in Russia.

Among the scientific interests of the scientist were military and civilian aspects of security. In the 1990s, Zhurkin opposed the expansion of NATO and studied modern threats to Russia, such as terrorist ones.

The academician became a laureate of the USSR State Prize and was awarded the Orders of the Badge of Honor, the Red Banner of Labor, Friendship of Peoples, For Services to the Fatherland, and Honor.

The Institute of Europe added that Zhurkin's farewell will take place on March 3 at 11:00 a.m. at the Central Clinical Hospital on Marshal Timoshenko Street in Moscow.