Putin declares a day of national mourning

Moscow, Mar 21: President Vladimir Putin has declared today a day of national mourning following three recent tragedies that killed 174 people.

They include fire at a home for old people that killed 62 people in the Krasnodar region yesterday, a methane gas explosion in a coalmine that claimed at least 105 lives in the Kemerovo region on Monday, and a plane crash that killed seven in the Samara region on Saturday, the Kremlin press service reported.

''In expressing sorrow for the dead and in offering condolences to their families, the President has ordered that March 21, 2007, be declared a day of mourning in the Russian Federation,'' it said.

Putin called for the national flag to be flown at half-mast and TV and radio companies and cultural institutions to cancel entertainment events and programmes.

He also ordered the Russian government and the administrations of the three Regions to set up commissions ''to find out the causes of the tragic events and help the families of those who lost their lives.''

UNI