A Russian diplomat resigns: ‘By no means have I been so ashamed of my nation.’

GENEVA — A diplomat in Russia’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva stop his submit on Monday, expressing disgrace over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and describing it as a criminal offense towards each nations.

Boris Bondarev, a counselor within the Russian mission since 2019 who described himself as a 20-year veteran of Russia’s Overseas Ministry, introduced his resignation in an electronic mail despatched to diplomats in Geneva on Monday. His resignation is essentially the most high-profile gesture of protest to this point made by a Russian diplomat over the battle in Ukraine.

“For 20 years of my diplomatic profession I’ve seen completely different turns of our international coverage however by no means have I been so ashamed of my nation as on Feb. 24 of this 12 months,” Mr. Bondarev mentioned, referring to the date that President Vladimir V. Putin despatched Russian forces into Ukraine.

“The aggressive battle unleashed by Putin towards Ukraine and actually towards the complete Western world will not be solely a criminal offense towards the Ukrainian individuals but in addition, maybe, essentially the most critical crime towards the individuals of Russia,” he added.

Diplomats in Geneva confirmed that they’d obtained the e-mail. Mr. Bondarev, reached by cellphone after responding to a message on his LinkedIn account, confirmed sending it to a number of dozen colleagues at different missions and mentioned he had tendered his resignation Monday morning.

Mr. Bondarev, 41, is listed as a counselor within the Russian mission on the web site of the United Nations; he despatched The New York Instances a duplicate of his diplomatic passport to substantiate his id.

Russia’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva mentioned that its spokesperson was not instantly obtainable, however that it will quickly concern a press release.

Mr. Bondarev, who handled disarmament points and was described by Western officers in Geneva as a mid-ranking diplomat, delivered a bitter denunciation of Russia’s management.

“Those that conceived this battle need just one factor — to stay in energy for ever, stay in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and price to the complete Russian navy, having fun with limitless energy and full impunity,” he mentioned in a press release connected to his electronic mail to diplomats. “To attain that they’re keen to sacrifice as many lives because it takes.”

He added: “It’s been already three months since my authorities launched a bloody assault on Ukraine and it’s been very laborious to maintain my thoughts kind of sane when all about have been dropping theirs.”

He ought to have resigned three months in the past, he mentioned, when Russia invaded, however he had delayed as a result of he had unfinished household enterprise and “needed to collect my resolve.”

Mr. Bondarev went on to ship a stinging critique of Russia’s international service and its chief diplomat, Sergey V. Lavrov. The ministry had been his dwelling, he mentioned, however during the last 20 years the lies and unprofessionalism had reached ranges that he described as “merely catastrophic.”

“In the present day the Ministry of Overseas Affairs will not be about diplomacy. It’s all about warmongering, lies and hatred,” he wrote, and was contributing to Russia’s isolation.

Mr. Lavrov was “a superb illustration of the degradation of this method,” Mr. Bondarev mentioned. In 18 years, the Russian international minister had gone from being knowledgeable and educated mental esteemed by colleagues to threatening the world with nuclear weapons.

“I merely can not any longer share on this bloody, witless and completely useless ignominy,” Mr. Bondarev wrote.