Since 1956: correspondent, managing editor, deputy chief editor of the main editorial board of the State committee for Radio and Television Broadcasting.

1962-1970: news analyst, deputy editor, staff correspondent of the"Pravada" daily newspaper in Arab countries.

1970-77: deputy director of the Institute of the World Economy and International Relations of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

1977-85: director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

1985-1989: director of the Institute of the World Economy and International Relations.

Since 1988: Academician-Secretary, member of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

In 1989-1990: he was the Chairman of the Soviet (Council) of the Union of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (the upper chamber of the then USSR Parliament).

In 1990-1992: member of the USSR Presidential Council.

In 1991: member of the USSR Security Council.

In September-November, 1991: first deputy Chairman of the KGB, head of its First Main Directorate.

November-December, 1991: director of the USSR Central Intelligence Service.

Since December, 1991: director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service.

January 1996: appointed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

Yevgeny Primakov is married, with children and grandchildren.