Russian diplomat to UN resigns over ‘needless’ Ukraine war
A veteran Russian diplomat to the UN Workplace in Geneva resigned Monday, writing in a bombshell letter that he felt “ashamed” to play an element in Russia’s “bloody, witless and completely pointless” warfare in Ukraine.
Boris Bondarev, 41, who recognized himself on LinkedIn as a counselor at Russia’s everlasting mission to the UN engaged on arms management, advised Reuters that he arrived at work “like every other Monday morning,” tendered his resignation and walked proper out.
He then despatched an English-language letter to overseas colleagues, explaining his probably dangerous — if not unprecedented — transfer.
“For twenty years of my diplomatic profession I’ve seen totally different turns of our overseas coverage, however by no means have I been so ashamed of my nation as on Feb. 24 of this 12 months,” he wrote, referring to the date of Russia’s invasion.
“The aggressive warfare unleashed by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in opposition to Ukraine, and in reality in opposition to all the Western world, just isn’t solely against the law in opposition to the Ukrainian folks, but in addition, maybe most heinous crime in opposition to the folks of Russia, with a daring letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a affluent free society in our nation,” Bondarev continued.
The ex-diplomat, whose profession included earlier postings in locations like Cambodia and Mongolia, confirmed he handed in his resignation in a letter addressed to Ambassador Gennady Gatilov.
“I began to think about this a couple of years in the past however the scale of this catastrophe drove me to do it,” he advised Reuters of his choice to stop Russia’s diplomatic service.
He stated he had raised his considerations concerning the warfare in Ukraine with senior embassy workers a number of instances. “I used to be advised to maintain my mouth shut with a purpose to keep away from ramifications,” he stated.
In a separate interview with the AP, Bondarev stated his authorities’s actions had been “insupportable” to him.
“As a civil servant, I’ve to hold a share of duty for that, and I don’t need to do this,” he stated.
He expounded on this concept additional in his take-no-prisoners parting letter, writing: “I studied to be a diplomat and have been a diplomat for twenty years. The (Russian overseas) ministry has turn into my residence and household. However I merely can’t any longer share on this bloody, witless and completely pointless ignominy.”
Bondarev stated he had not obtained any response but from Russian officers, however added: “Am I involved concerning the doable response from Moscow? I’ve to be involved about it.”
Requested if some colleagues felt the identical, he added: “Not all Russian diplomats are warmongering. They’re affordable, however they need to preserve their mouths shut.”
He recommended that Kremlin might select to make an instance out of him in a bid to dissuade different dissenters from following in his footsteps.
In his scathing assertion, which he stated he emailed to about 40 diplomats and others, Bondarev stated those that conceived the warfare “need just one factor — to stay in energy perpetually, reside in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and price to all the Russian Navy, having fun with limitless energy and full impunity.”
He railed in opposition to the rising “lies and unprofessionalism” within the Russian Overseas Ministry and slammed Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov, who he stated in “18 years, … went from an expert and educated mental … to an individual who consistently broadcasts conflicting statements and threatens the world (that’s, Russia too) with nuclear weapons!”
“Right this moment, the Ministry of Overseas Affairs just isn’t about diplomacy. It’s all about warmongering, lies and hatred.”
Bondarev stated he had no plans to go away Geneva.
Hiller Neuer, govt director of the advocacy group UN Watch, referred to as Bondarev “a hero” for taking a public stand in opposition to his authorities.
“Bondarev needs to be invited to talk in Davos this week,” he added, “and the U.S., the U.Ok. and the EU ought to lead the free world in making a program to encourage extra Russian diplomats to observe and defect, by offering safety, monetary safety and resettlement for diplomats and their households.”
With Submit wires
