Mikhail Tereshchenko

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Foreign Minister of Russia
Mikhail Ivanovich Tereshchenko
Finance Minister of Russian Provisional Government
In office March 17, 1917 – May 4, 1917
In office May 5, 1917 – October 26, 1917
Preceded by	Pavel Milyukov

Born	March 18, 1886 Kiev, Russian empire
Died	April 1, 1956 Monaco

Mikhail Ivanovich Tereshchenko (Russian: Михаил Иванович Терещенко) (March 18, 1886, Kiev – April 1, 1956, Monaco) was a foreign minister of Russia from May 5 of 1917 to October 25 of 1917, Old Style. He was also a major landowner, owner of several sugar factories, and financier.

Born to a rich Tereshchenko family of a sugar factory owners, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists, Mikhail Tereshchenko graduated from Kiev University and Leipzig University. In 1910, he joined the Freemasonry and became one of the five prominent Masons in Russia (the other four being Alexander Konovalov, Alexander Kerensky, Nikolai Nekrasov, and Ivan Yefremov). Mikhail Tereshchenko was a member of the Fourth State Duma (he never belonged to any party, but shared the views of the Russian Progressive Party). In 1912–1914, Tereshchenko was the owner of a private publishing house Sirin in St Petersburg. During the World War I, he took part in organizing the Red Cross hospitals. In 1915-1917, Mikhail Tereshchenko was the chairman of the Military Industry Committee of the Kiev district and deputy chairman of the All-Russian Military Industry Committee. Also, he participated in preparing a conspiracy with the purpose of deposing Nikolai II. After the February Revolution of 1917, Mikhail Tereshchenko was appointed Minister of Finance of the Provisional Government. In April of 1917, Tereshchenko (together with Kerensky and Nekrasov) was actively seeking to create a governmental interparty coalition with the Socialists. On May 5 of 1917, he was appointed minister of foreign affairs after the resignation of Pavel Milyukov. Tereshchenko continued his foreign policy course, which led to his conflict with Minister of War Alexander Verkhovsky, who had considered Russia to be unable to continue the war.

On the night of October 26, Mikhail Tereshchenko was arrested in the Winter Palace with other ministers of the Provisional Government and placed into the Peter and Paul Fortress. In the spring of 1918, he escaped from prison and fled to Norway and then France. Tereshchenko was one of the supporters of the White Movement and allied intervention in Soviet Russia. In 1920s-1930s, he was engaged in financial activities in France and Madagascar.