Relatives lay flowers on the grave of Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin during the funeral ceremony at the Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow on Feb. 24. Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, who for years fended off Western criticism and defended Moscow's actions in Ukraine and Syria, died Feb. 20 in New York. He was 64. Churkin collapsed while at work at the Russian mission to the United Nations Feb. 20 morning and was rushed to a Manhattan hospital, apparently suffering from heart problems, diplomatic sources said.
Photo by AFP
MOSCOW – Russia is holding a funeral for its long-time ambassador to the United Nations who died suddenly earlier this week.