Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s pre-recorded video message played to a near-empty hall after more than 100 diplomats and ambassadors from 40 countries walked out  of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday in protest of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. 

Delegations from China, Syria and Venezuela were among the envoys that stayed.  Lavrov canceled his in-person address last minute after Russia said Monday EU states were blocking Lavrov’s flight path.

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