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Ukrainian president offers condolences over Siberian shopping mall fire tragedy

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman offered his condolences as well
Man lays flowers to honour victims of the fire in Kemerovo near the Russian Embassy, in Kiev AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
Man lays flowers to honour victims of the fire in Kemerovo near the Russian Embassy, in Kiev
© AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky

KIEV, March 28. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko expressed condolences on Wednesday over the deadly shopping mall fire in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.

"A large number of children died in Kemerovo on March 25. I want to express my sincere words of condolences to the relatives and friends," Poroshenko told participants of a rally in Kiev, "Children Unite Ukraine," according to the Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman offered his condolences. He also emphasized the need to make every possible effort to prevent such tragic incidents from happening in Ukraine.

A fire started 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, and 76 people, 27 of them children, were injured.

President Vladimir Putin declared March 28 a national day of mourning for the fire victims.

People in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and the cities where Russian consulates are located, are laying flowers, stuffed toys and messages outside the diplomatic facilities.