Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has died suddenly while at work in New York on Monday, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

He would have celebrated his 65th birthday on Tuesday (February 21), reports the BBC.

The cause of the veteran diplomat’s death is unclear.

Churkin had served as an ambassador to the UN since 2006, developing a reputation as a steadfast defender of Russian policy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was “grieved” to learn of the death of a man whose diplomatic talents he “highly esteemed”. 

The foreign ministry also paid tribute to an “outstanding diplomat”.

Before taking up the position with the UN, he served as an envoy to Canada, Belgium and as a special representative to the talks on former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.

BDST: 1703 HRS, FEB 21, 2017
LM/SR