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Veteran Russian diplomat resigns in protest of Moscow’s “aggressive war” in Ukraine
A 20-year veteran of Russia’s diplomatic service introduced his resignation Monday in protest of his nation’s struggle on Ukraine, a number of media retailers reported.
In a uncommon public protest by a Russian official, Boris Bondarev, a diplomat posted to Russia’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva, posted a press release on a LinkedIn account condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and criticizing the Russian Ministry of Overseas Affairs for complicity in what he described as an an “aggressive struggle” — language that’s proscribed in Russia underneath wartime censorship legal guidelines.
“For twenty years of my diplomatic profession I’ve seen completely different turns of our international coverage, however by no means have I been so ashamed of my nation as on February 24 of this yr,” Bondarev wrote, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s choice to invade Ukraine. “The aggressive struggle unleashed by Putin in opposition to Ukraine, and actually in opposition to all the Western world, shouldn’t be solely a criminal offense in opposition to the Ukrainian folks, but additionally, maybe, probably the most critical 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.”
The revered Russian enterprise newspaper Kommersant reached out to Bondarev, who confirmed the authenticity of the submit. The New York Occasions confirmed the receipt of a resignation despatched by e-mail to diplomats in Geneva.
The Russian mission to the UN in Geneva declined to touch upon the matter to CNN, and Bondarev didn’t reply to messages despatched to the LinkedIn account.
The submit on LinkedIn lambasted Russia’s management for corruption, saying, “Those that conceived this struggle need just one factor – to stay in energy perpetually, dwell 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. To attain that they’re keen to sacrifice as many lives because it takes. 1000’s of Russians and Ukrainians have already died only for this.”
It additionally singled out the Russian Ministry of Overseas Affairs for harsh criticism.
“I remorse to confess that over all these twenty years the extent of lies and unprofessionalism within the work of the Overseas Ministry has been growing on a regular basis. Nevertheless, in most up-to-date years, this has turn out to be merely catastrophic. As a substitute of unbiased info, neutral evaluation and sober forecasting, there are propaganda clichés within the spirit of Soviet newspapers of the Thirties,” the submit learn.
“At the moment, the Ministry of Overseas Affairs shouldn’t be about diplomacy. It’s all about warmongering, lies and hatred. It serves pursuits of few, the only a few folks thus contributing to additional isolation and degradation of my nation. Russia now not has allies, and there’s no one responsible however its reckless and ill-conceived coverage,” the submit continued.
The LinkedIn profile describes Bondarev as a veteran of Russian diplomatic service, with experience in arms management and nonproliferation. The image on the profile now has the hashtag #opentowork.