Dalai Lama’s Russia representative resigns after ‘foreign agent’ accusation

The Dalai Lama’s envoy in Russia has resigned after the Kremlin labelled him a “foreign agent” for criticising its war in Ukraine.

Telo Tulku Rinpoche, 50-years-old and considered the reincarnation of a saint, called for Buddhists in Russia to maintain “courage and steadfastness” as he quit as Supreme Lama in Kalmykia.

“In my thoughts, deeds and prayers, I remain entirely with the Kalmyk people and the Buddhists of all Russia, to whose service I have dedicated my life,” he said.

Russia has three predominantly Buddhist regions – Kalmykia, which lies on the Caspian Sea coast, as well as Buryatia and Tuva, in Siberia.

Born into a Kalmyk immigrant family in Philadelphia as Erdne Ombadykov, the religious leader was renamed Telo Tulku Rinpoche after studying in a Buddhist monastery in India before moving to Kalmykia in 1992 when religion began to re-emerge after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He hosted the Dalai Lama in Kalmykia, in 2004 and 2018, and also oversaw the construction of the biggest Buddhist temple in Russia and Europe in 2005.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the world’s Buddhists. He has criticised Russia’s war in Ukraine and called for peace.

Stoking Kremlin anger

The Kremlin relied on fringe regions of Russia such as Kalmykia to supply thousands of soldiers for its initial full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and thousands more again in September when Mr Putin ordered a mobilisation.

Initially silent on the matter, Telo Tulku Rinpoche has become an increasingly vocal critic of the war. He has also helped Kalmyks in Mongolia who fled from mobilisation, a stance that angered the Kremlin.

The Kremlin’s “foreign agent” label has strong treacherous connotations and is linked to the Cold War. Its “foreign agents” law was introduced in 2012 against NGOs which took cash from foreign organisations and was strengthened in 2021 and 2022.

Russia has cracked down on dissent, detaining anybody who waves an anti-war placard in public.

In his resignation note, Telo Tulku Rinpoche alluded to his anti-war stance.

“I wish the people of Kalmykia and all followers of Buddhism in these difficult times to maintain courage, steadfastness and adherence to the ideals of compassion, love and non-violence,” he said.