Russian Ambassador to UN Vitaly Churkin dies in New York

A day before turning 65, on February 20, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has died in New York, press office of the Russian foreign ministry reports.

“A prominent Russian diplomat has died at his post. We extend our most sincere condolences to the family of Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin,” runs the statement.

Churkin has been serving at the post of the Russian Ambassador to the UN and UN Security Council since April 2006. Previously, he was Ambassador-at-Large at the Russian Foreign Ministry. In 1994-98, Churkin was Russian Ambassador to Belgium and NATO, in 1998-2003, he served Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Canada.