On August 14, 2009, Dr Alexander V. Vitol, a senior researcher at the Department of Turkic and Mongolian Studies, turned 60. 

After graduating Leningrad State University, the Faculty of Oriental Studies, the Department of the Studies of Near and Middle Eastern Countries, he was admitted to the Leningrad Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies, the USSR Academy of Sciences, as a doctoral student. In 1982 he defended his PhD dissertation, The Ottoman Empire in the First Third of the 18th Century: the Genesis of the Ideas of the State Renewal [Османская империя в первой трети XVIII в.: зарождение идей обновления государства]. He started his career path as an academic technician and succeeded to become a senior researcher at the IOM's Department of Turkic and Mongolian Studies.

Dr A.I.Vitol published a number of papers which deepend academic knowledge of the Ottoman Empire and especially some preeminent political figures of Turkey such as Kocja Ragip Pasha, Damad Ali Pasha, Yirmisekiz Çelebi Mehmet. He is the author of the monograph The Ottoman Empire. The Early 18th Century [Османская империя. Начало XVIII в.], Moscow, Nauka Publishers 1987.

For many years, Dr A.I.Vitol has played an active role in the Institute's social life. Since 2003 he has headed the IOM's trade union. He was the academic secretary of the Department of Turkic and Mongolian Studies for a long time.

Dr A.I.Vitol is favored by his colleagus for his friendliness, willingness to support people, fidelity to principles and kindness.

the IOM's Head, Prof Dr I.F.Popova