"Blessed are the peacemakers...."
Not all Russians are for war.
A senior Russian diplomat has resigned over the “bloody, witless and absolutely needless” war in Ukraine as he criticised figures within the Kremlin who want “to remain in power forever”.
Boris Bondarev, a counsellor for the Russian mission at the United Nations in Geneva, said he had had enough of the “lies and unprofessionalism” in the country’s foreign ministry.
In an excoriating resignation letter, he said the war launched by
President Putin was a “crime against the Ukrainian people” that would ruin the Russian economy as well as “all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society”.
“For 20 years of my diplomatic career I have seen different runs of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24 of this year,” he said.
“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, with a bold letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society in our country.”
“Those who conceived this war want only one thing — to remain in power for ever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity.
“To achieve that, they are willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes. Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have already died just for this.”
“Minister Lavrov is a good illustration of the degradation of this system. In 18 years, he went from a professional and educated intellectual, whom many of my colleagues held in such high esteem, to a person who constantly broadcasts conflicting statements and threatens the world with nuclear weapons!
“Today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering, lies and hatred. It serves the interests of few, the very few people thus contributing to further isolation and degradation of my country.
Russia no longer has allies, and there is no one to blame but its reckless and ill-conceived policy.
“I studied to be a diplomat and have been a diplomat for 20 years. 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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Bondarev told the Associated Press today: “It is intolerable what my government is doing now. As a civil servant, I have to carry a share of responsibility for that, and I don’t want to do that.”
He said he had not received any reaction yet from Russian officials, but added: “Am I concerned about the possible reaction from Moscow? I have to be concerned about it.”
Asked if some colleagues felt the same, he added: “Not all Russian diplomats are warmongering. They are reasonable, but they have to keep their mouths shut.”
He suggested his case could become an example. “If my case is prosecuted, then if other people want to follow, they would not,” he said.
Hillel Neuer, the director of the Swiss non-governmental organisation UN Watch, said: “Boris Bondarev is a hero. We are now calling on all other Russian diplomats at the United Nations — and worldwide — to follow his moral example and resign.”
“Bondarev should be invited to speak in Davos this week,” Neuer added, “and the US, the UK and the EU should lead the free world in creating a programme to encourage more Russian diplomats to follow and defect, by providing protection, financial security and resettlement for diplomats and their families.”
A Russian diplomat spoke of his fear of Kremlin reprisals yesterday, hours after resigning over the “bloody, witless and absolutely needless” war in Ukraine.Bor
www.thetimes.co.uk