On May 23, Russia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Boris Bondarev, resigned after his 20 years of service, largely because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “I went to the mission like any other Monday morning and I forwarded my resignation letter and I walked out,” said Bondarev. “I started to imagine this a few years ago but the scale of this disaster drove me to do it,” he added.
In a LinkedIn post, he expressed his thoughts about the war and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “The aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine, and in fact against the entire western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people, but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia,” stated Bondarev. He added, “Never have I been so ashamed of my country.” Bondarev also indicated how the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ lack of professionalism and lies has been increasing, and has recently become catastrophic.
The Russian diplomat went on to call the Russian minister Lavrov, “a good illustration of the degradation of this system”, and criticised him. “He went from a professional and educated individual, to a person who constantly broadcasts conflicting statements and threatens the world (that is Russia, too) with nuclear weapons,” read Bondarev’s post.
The social media post concluded with Bondarev stating, “Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is no longer about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering lies and hatred. Russia no longer has allies, and there is no one to blame.” He added, “The Ministry has become my home and family. But I simply cannot any longer share in this bloody, witless and absolutely needless ignominy.”
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