NEW YORK, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Vitaly Churkin suddenly died on Monday in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry is saddened to announce the death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday," said the brief statement, without disclosing the cause of his death.

The ministry expressed its condolences and hailed Churkin as an "outstanding diplomat," who has served as Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.

UN Secretary-General Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said he was shocked by Churkin's sudden death and mourned him, RIA Novosti news agency reported.