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Belarus to fly flags at half mast in solidarity with Russia

The blaze in the shopping mall in Russia's Kemerovo killed 64 people, including 41 children

The Russian national flag flying at half-mast on the day of mourning for the Kemerovo shopping mall fire victims Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

The Russian national flag flying at half-mast on the day of mourning for the Kemerovo shopping mall fire victims

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

MINSK, March 28. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered to fly flags at half mast and cancel entertaining programs in solidarity with Russia, which is observing a day of national mourning for Kemerovo shopping mall fire victims on March 28, the BelTA news agency reported citing the Belarusian presidential administration.

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"At President Alexander Lukashenko’s order, on March 28, national flags will fly at half mast in Belarus, while radio and TV broadcasters will cancel entertaining programs," the presidential administration said. The country’s citizens have been recommended to refrain from holding entertaining events, particualry in public places.

Belarusians continue to lay flowers and stuffed toys and light candles outside the Russian embassy in Minsk. Memorial services for the fire victims are taking place in Orthodox churches across Belarus.

Lukashenko earlier sent a message of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kemerovo Region Governor Aman Tuleyev.

Kemerovo shopping mall fire

A fire erupted on the top floor of the Zimnyaya Vishnya (or Winter Cherry) four-storey shopping mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo on March 25, eventually engulfing an area of 1,500 square meters. According to recent reports, the blaze killed 64 people, including 41 children.

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