Yakov Ivanovich Smirnov, also known as James Smirnov or James Smirnove, was born in 1754 in what is now Ukraine and passed away on April 16, 1840, in England. He was a Russian priest and held this position the longest at the Russian embassy church in London. Additionally, Smirnov served as Russia's ambassador in London during the official break in diplomatic relations. In 2012, his grave was restored through the efforts of the Russian embassy, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the local Russian community.