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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 shops 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 International Affairs for complicity in what he described as an an “aggressive struggle” — language that’s proscribed in Russia below wartime censorship legal guidelines.
“For twenty years of my diplomatic profession I’ve seen completely different turns of our overseas 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 resolution to invade Ukraine. “The aggressive struggle unleashed by Putin in opposition to Ukraine, and actually in opposition to the complete Western world, is just not solely a criminal offense in opposition to the Ukrainian individuals, but in addition, maybe, probably the most severe crime in opposition to the individuals 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 publish. 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 publish on LinkedIn lambasted Russia’s management for corruption, saying, “Those that conceived this struggle need just one factor – to stay in energy ceaselessly, stay in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and value to the complete Russian Navy, having fun with limitless energy and full impunity. To attain that they’re prepared 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 International 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 International Ministry has been growing on a regular basis. Nevertheless, in most up-to-date years, this has turn into merely catastrophic. As an alternative of unbiased data, neutral evaluation and sober forecasting, there are propaganda clichés within the spirit of Soviet newspapers of the Nineteen Thirties,” the publish learn.
“At present, the Ministry of International Affairs is just not about diplomacy. It’s all about warmongering, lies and hatred. It serves pursuits of few, the only a few individuals thus contributing to additional isolation and degradation of my nation. Russia not has allies, and there’s no one accountable however its reckless and ill-conceived coverage,” the publish 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.
The US State Division stated Monday that Bondarev’s resignation exhibits that “regardless of the Kremlin’s propaganda, there are Russians who profoundly disagree with what President Putin is doing in Ukraine and share our concern in regards to the hazard he’s creating for the complete world neighborhood.”
A State Division spokesperson stated it was encouraging that “many are prepared to face as much as” Putin and famous that “it takes immense bravery to face as much as an oppressor, and it requires braveness to talk reality to energy, particularly given the Russian authorities’s lengthy and horrible monitor document of making an attempt to silence respectable and peaceable protests and dissent.”
“Plummeting morale is clearly not restricted to Russia’s navy forces combating in Ukraine,” they stated.
“Boris Bondarev’s assertion underscores that individuals world wide, together with in Russia and even inside the Russian authorities, are recognizing the brutality of the Kremlin’s assault on the Ukrainian individuals,” the spokesperson stated. “They’re doing so regardless of the Kremlin’s greatest efforts to fabricate and perpetuate disinformation.”