April 12 is the mourning day in Russia

The national mourning is announced in Russia today, April 12, the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev stated in his message to the population of Poland:

“I am stunned with the horrible tragedy – the death of the President of Poland Lech Kachinsky, his wife Maria and all Polish citizens on the board of the crashed aircraft.

Together we were holding the last rites in Katyn and together we were grieving about the victims of totalitarianism. Lech Kachinsky was flying to Russia that day to pay a personal tribute to the murdered Polish officers both as the President of Poland and as an ordinary citizen of his country. All Russians share your grief and mourning. I promise all circumstances of this tragedy will be thoroughly investigated in the closest interaction with the Polish party.

On behalf of all Russians I present my deepest and the most sincere condolences to all people of Poland, my sense of compassion and support to all relatives of the victims” – the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said in his message.

On April 10 the aircraft of the President of Poland has crashed not long ago from the runway of the airport of Smolensk. The President of Poland went to to Katyn to take part in the funeral ceremony together with his wife and other representatives of the official Polish delegation. According to the refined data all 96 people on the board of this aircraft have deceased.