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UN holds moment of silence in memory of Russian Ambassador VItaly Churkin

Vitaly Churkin died in New York on Monday a day before his 65th birthday

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MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. The United Nations on Monday honored the memory of the late Russian Ambassador to that organization Vitaly Churkin by a minute of silence.

"Moment of silence held at the UN today in memory of Russia UN Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin," the United Nations said on its official Twitter account.

Vitaly Churkin died in New York on Monday, a day before his 65th birthday. The Russian Foreign Ministry said he had died while performing his duties. "We offer sincere condolences to the family of Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin," the ministry said.

Churkin was born in Moscow on February 21, 1952 into the family of an aviation design engineer. He has been Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations since April 8, 2006.

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