This Russian diplomat’s takedown of Vladimir Putin over Ukraine is an extraordinary and important read
A Russian diplomat has just gone viral with his condemnation of Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine and it’s a quite incredible read.
Boris Bondarev resigned as head of the Russian mission at the United Nations in Geneva and used his resignation letter to say this.
BREAKING: 🇷🇺 Russia’s Counsellor to the United Nations in Geneva has resigned.
Boris Bondarev: “Never have I been so ashamed of my country.”
UN Watch is now calling on all other Russian diplomats at the United Nations—and worldwide—to follow his moral example and resign.
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
And just in case that’s tricky to read …
"Long overdue but still. Today I resigned from Russian diplomatic service.
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 February 24 of this year." /1— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"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…" /2
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"with a bold letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society in our country." /3
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"Those who conceived this war want only one thing – to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity." /4
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"Those who conceived this war want only one thing – to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity." /5
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"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." /6
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"I regret to admit that over all these twenty years the level of lies and unprofessionalism in the work of the Foreign Ministry has been increasing all the time." /7
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"However, in most recent years, this has become simply catastrophic. Instead of unbiased information, impartial analysis and sober forecasting, there are propaganda clichés in the spirit of Soviet newspapers of the 1930s. A system has been built that deceives itself." /8
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"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 my colleagues held in such high esteem…" /9
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"to a person who constantly broadcasts conflicting statements and threatens the world (that is, Russia too) with nuclear weapons!" /10
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering, lies and hatred. It serves interests of few, the very few people thus contributing to further isolation and degradation of my country." /11
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"Russia no longer has allies, and there is no one to blame but its reckless and ill-conceived policy." /12
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
"I studied to be a diplomat and have been a diplomat for twenty years. The Ministry has become my home and family. But I simply cannot any longer share in this bloody, witless and absolutely needless ignominy." /13
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 23, 2022
And just a few of the things people were saying about it on Twitter.
This is an unbelievable letter below from a top Russian diplomat denouncing Putin in no uncertain terms. This is the language that all Russian officials and oligarchs should use if they have any chance of being treated gently by the West. https://t.co/r0LqH3RQRg
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) May 23, 2022
A capacity for shame. Some people have it; others, to my never-ending surprise, don't. https://t.co/9EVFOZO3Qi
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) May 23, 2022
This is an extraordinary condemnation of Putin and his circle reported by @HillelNeuer. https://t.co/3AQDkpHHyl
— Sarah Ferguson (@FergusonNews) May 23, 2022
It'll be the first high-profile diplo defection since the start of the invasion if confirmed. https://t.co/dPpcYnYInd
— Nataliya Vasilyeva (@Nat_Vasilyeva) May 23, 2022
"Those who conceived this war want only one thing — to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity…" https://t.co/hgosDfE02C
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) May 23, 2022
This may be a turning point. We remember when the Soviet system started collapsing causing resignations of the diplomats & defections of the KGB officers. https://t.co/22zv8uLuj4
— Alpo Rusi (@RusiAlpo) May 23, 2022
You cannot fool all the people all the time…
Russia’s cadre knows all about the war + their own reputation compromised & future threatened by Putin
We need to raise pressure on them: sanction the whole war machine #NavalnyList till the regime comes down… before Ukraine does ! https://t.co/vixYSLejxd
— Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) May 23, 2022
A significant crack in the Russian narrative. ~AA https://t.co/R7DZHQNYfS
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) May 23, 2022
Meaningful letter. I hope that it will be inspiring for other Russian diplomats all over the world.
Of course, it comes late, and so many crimes against humanity have been committed since 22 years and covered up by Russian diplomats.
But even late, moral consciousness matters. https://t.co/ks7g4cbYFD— Nicolas Tenzer (@NTenzer) May 23, 2022
Hopefully, the beginning. https://t.co/88HEyJKXQZ
— Expat in Kyiv (@expatua) May 23, 2022
WANT MORE POKE?
Get the best of the day’s posts delivered direct to you by joining The Poke+ on Facebook
Source Twitter @HillelNeuer
