Russia mourns the victims of the helicopter crash in Chechnya

The investigation of the crash will reportedly take a month more

President of Russia Vladimir Putin pronounced August 22 the day of the national mourning in Russia. Mi-26 helicopter of the Russian Defense Ministry crashed on August 19 2002 not far from the Chechen town of Khankala. There were 147 people on board the helicopter.

As it was reported this morning, another military man died at the hospital in the city of Rostov. RIA Novosti said, his name was Vladimir Khruschev, he was a serviceman from the Chelyabinsk region. Thus, the number of victims of the crash makes up 116 people.

Pursuant to the order that was signed by the Russian president, state flags of Russia should be flown at half mast on the entire territory of the country. Television, radio and other entertainment companies were recommended to cancel any entertaining programs and arrangements. The government and state power bodies of the federation units are supposed to take measures for rendering help to the families of those killed in the crash.

The Russian Defense Ministry exposed the specified list of the serviceman that died in the crash. The list includes four lieutenant colonels and three majors. There were also four civil people killed, a woman and a child among them.

Investigators have already identified eleven people. The identification process is rather hard and slow, since the bodies were burnt a lot. A DNA expertise will be requisite on some occasions. All bodies will be delivered to the city of Rostov-on-Don by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia Sergey Fridinsky stated that it would take about a month to complete the investigation of the horrific tragedy. Fridinsky added that there are two major versions of the crash: a technical malfunction or an act of terrorism.

Sergey Yugov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov