Nikolay Nikolayevich Platoshkin (; born 19 October 1965) is a Russian and former Soviet diplomat, political scientist, and historian. He is a Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, and Head of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Moscow University for the Humanities. He is also an author of translations of foreign monographs, a political expert on television, and the leader of the movement “For a New Socialism”. Biography Nikolay Platoshkin was born on October 19, 1965 in the village of Mescherino, Stupinsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russian by nationality. His parents worked in Sovkhoz (state farm). He graduated from School No. 20 with a gold medal, and in the same place received the rights of a tractor driver-machinist of the 3rd class of a wide profile. In 1982, he entered the MGIMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR at the Faculty of International Relations (Western Department), which he graduated with honors in 1987. In 2003, he graduated from a special course for senior staff at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. From 1987 to 2006, he worked in Russian diplomatic missions in Germany and the USA. Work in diplomatic missions In 1998, he headed the department of Armenia at the Russian Foreign Ministry. From May 2004 to 2006, he served as vice consul at the Russian Consulate in Houston. He was present at the opening of the Russian Cultural Center in Austin, Texas. By decision of the US government, he was expelled from the country. In 2006, he left the diplomatic service due to the behavior of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding his wife. He switched to teaching later that year. Scientific and teaching activities His main areas of research and teaching are the history of Germany, the history of Latin America, the history of Spain, the history of Czechia, issues of current international relations and the foreign policy of Russia, and contemporary German politics. In 2003 he defended his thesis on the topic "Memel (Klaipėda) issue in international relations", and in 2009 - a doctoral thesis on "Causes and Progress of the Berlin Crisis of 1953-1961". In 2009, according to the results of the creative competition for the best materials published in the Military History Journal (No. 12, 2008), Platoshkin was awarded the second prize for the article “The Berlin Blockade of 1948-1949. Myths and reality”,