Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin died in
New York on Monday, a day before his 65th birthday.
"The Russian Foreign Ministry deeply regrets to announce that Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin has died suddenly in New York on February 20, a day ahead of his 65th birthday," TASS news agency quoted the ministry as saying.
"The outstanding Russian diplomat died in harness. We offer sincere condolences to the family of Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin," it added.
No further details are available at the moment.
Churkin served as Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 2006.