Opposed to the war, a Russian diplomat resigns with a bang in Geneva


Boris Bondarev, a Russian diplomat based in Geneva and opposed to the war against Ukraine, announced his resignation in a letter made public.

A Russian diplomat based in Geneva and opposed to the war against Ukraine has announced his resignation with a bang, saying in a letter made public that “never” had he been “so ashamed” of his country, according to several concordant sources.

Boris Bondarev, Advisor to the Russian Permanent Representation sent an email to fellow diplomats to announce his decision, which was revealed by the NGO UN Watch and confirmed by several diplomatic sources.

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“During the 20 years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns in our foreign policy but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24 of this year” when Russia invaded Ukraine, writes Mr. Bondarev.

Mr. Bondarev – whose name appears well in the official directory of diplomats to the UN in Geneva – says he has worked in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2002 and since 2019 on the shores of Lake Geneva.

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“Encourage more Russian diplomats to defect”

“The aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine, and indeed against the Western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps the most serious crime against the Russian people, with a letter Z in bold across all our hopes and prospects for a free and prosperous society in our country,” reads the letter, published by Dutch Ambassador for Disarmament Robert Gabrielse, accompanied by a “Courageous !”.

This resignation which, according to several sources, is not the first of a Russian diplomat for the same reasons, but is undoubtedly the most public, should encourage other colleagues to follow the example, underlined the director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer.

“The US, UK and EU should take the lead in the free world and create a program to encourage more Russian diplomats to defect by offering protection and financial security and a place to settle for those diplomats. and their families,” he added.



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