US ambassador to Russia leaves post as Ukraine war drags on

U.S. ambassor to Russia, John Sullivan, ended his tenure as America’s top diplomat in Moscow on Sunday after nearly three years, spanning Trump and Biden ministrations, and will retire from a lengthy career in government service.

His departure, which comes in midst of an increasingly serious crisis over Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as well as disputes over detained Americans in Russia, h been expected this fall as he reached usual length of time for U.S. ambassors.

But it was sped up due to family medical issue, according to people familiar with matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of private nature of situation.

Elizabeth Rood, deputy chief of mission to Russia, will be top U.S. diplomat in Moscow until a successor nominated by President Joe Biden replaces Sullivan.

A Boston native and big ice hockey fan who brought his skates and equipment when he left for Russia, Sullivan h returned to Moscow from a summer break just last week and h attended former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's memorial service on Saturday.

Sullivan took helm of Moscow embassy at a particularly difficult time in U.S.-Russia relations, which have only grown worse.

He struggled to hold toger a diplomatic mission dramatically reduced in staff as Washington and Moscow carried out an increasingly severe series of tit-for-tat expulsions.

His four-dece public service career included postings in Republican ministrations as deputy secretary of state and senior positions in departments of Justice, Defense and Commerce.