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Medvedev expresses condolences to China’s State Council premier over explosions in Tianjin

In a telegram the Russian PM expressed deepest condolences over the victims and destruction caused by the technological disaster at a company in China's northern port city of Tianjin

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has expressed condolences to China’s State Council Premier Li Keqiang over major explosions that rocked the country’s northern port city of Tianjin on August 12, the Russian government said on its website on Thursday.

"On behalf of the Russian government and myself personally, I express deepest condolences over the victims and destruction caused by the technological disaster at a company in the city of Tianjin," the telegram posted on the website said.

"We share the grief of your compatriots who lost their relatives and friends. We wish soonest recovery to those injured," the telegram noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed condolences to China’s President Xi Jinping over two major blasts in Tianjin earlier today. "Putin conveyed words of compassion and support to the relatives and friends of those who died in the accident and wished soonest recovery to those who were injured in the explosions," the Kremlin press service said.

A powerful explosion rocked a warehouse storing chemical goods around midnight local time. Another major explosion followed when firefighters were working at the scene. Eyewitnesses say that buildings within a 2km radius had windows blown out, while more than 1,000 cars burned down.

The causes of the accident have not been identified yet. According to latest reports, the explosions killed 44 people and injured 520 more.