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ENVOY’S ‘SHAME’

Russian diplomat resigns over Ukraine war saying he has ‘never been so ashamed of his country’

A RUSSIAN diplomat quit in disgust over his country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Boris Bondarev, 41, who was at the UN Office at Geneva, then released a scathing statement against the war.

Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, 41, handed in his resignation alongside a letter which read 'never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb 24'
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Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, 41, handed in his resignation alongside a letter which read 'never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb 24'Credit: AP

Referring to the date of the invasion, he said: “For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb 24.”

His resignation is a rare public admission of Russian disgruntlement about the war.

Mr Bondarev said he had not received any reaction from Russian officials.

He added: “It is intolerable what my government is doing now.

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“As a civil servant, I have to carry a share of responsibility for that. And I don’t want to do that.”

He had no plans to leave Switzerland, he said.

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Asked if some colleagues felt the same, Mr Bondarev said: “Not all Russian diplomats are warmongering.

"They are reasonable, but they have to keep their mouths shut.”

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