A Diplomat’s Diary from Odessa: The Letters of Mikhail Khitrovo to Nikolai Ignatiev, 1868–1871

The State Archives of the Russian Federation and the Manuscript Department of the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) hold a significant collection of previously unpublished letters written by Russian diplomat Mikhail Alexandrovich Khitrovo (1837–1896) to his senior colleague and notable statesman Nikolai Pavlovich Ignatiev (1832–1908). This article represents the first detailed scholarly analysis of this historically valuable epistolary corpus, comprising 76 letters, with a focused examination of 66 letters dating from Khitrovo’s tenure as a diplomatic official attached to the Governor-General of Novorossiya and Bessarabia from 1868 to 1871. The study begins by presenting essential biographical information about Khitrovo, emphasizing his distinguished lineage as a great-grandson of Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, and provides contrasting assessments of his character and professional capabilities as recorded by his contemporaries. After situating Khitrovo within the broader historiographical context and reviewing existing scholarly works dedicated to his diplomatic career, the author turns to a thorough examination of the archival materials. The letters are carefully characterized, with particular attention given to their thematic richness, which includes detailed reporting on regional developments, incisive observations on Russian foreign policy, evaluations of local administrative authorities, and reflective commentary on significant political events unfolding in and around Odessa. Through careful textual analysis, the article highlights the letters' value in elucidating the multifaceted responsibilities and day-to-day realities of a Russian diplomatic official in the late 19th century. Moreover, these personal correspondences are shown to complement and enrich Khitrovo’s published articles and essays, thereby deepening our understanding of his intellectual and political stances. The article concludes by underscoring the broader significance of this epistolary collection, asserting that its publication and further study would offer critical insights into the operational complexities of Russian diplomacy, as well as provide a more comprehensive portrait of Khitrovo as a prominent yet controversial figure within the diplomatic milieu of his era.