Security Council Press Statement on Passing Away of Ambassador Vitaly Churkin

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine):

The members of the Security Council were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, prominent Russian diplomat and Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations on 20 February 2017.

The members of the Security Council mourned the Ambassador, who has spent more than 40 years in the Russian diplomatic service, has headed the Russian Mission to the United Nations for more than a decade and would have turned 65 on 21 February 2017.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deep condolences to the family of the Ambassador, the Government and the people of the Russian Federation.