MOSCOW, June 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi an unusual politician, mostly because he was very sincere. According to the Russian leader, Berlusconi's death was a great loss for world politics.

"He was an unusual person for a politician because he was very sincere and open and had a privilege that politicians of this scale do not enjoy. That privilege of his was to speak his mind," Putin said on the Rossiya-24 television channel.

"It's very unfortunate. I wish to express words of sincere regret and condolences to the Italian people and to all of Mr. Berlusconi’s relatives. This is a great loss not only for Italy, but also for world politics," Putin said.

Berlusconi's death was reported by Corriere della Sera on Monday. The veteran and heavyweight of Italian politics, founder and permanent leader of the Forward, Italy party, who led the government three times, died at the age of 86.

Putin and Berlusconi first met at the G8 summit in Genoa in 2001. They have held dozens of one-on-one business meetings over the years in big politics and at various international forums in Russia and Italy and in many other countries. Putin and Berlusconi not only worked together, but were on friendly terms for more than 20 years.

Earlier, the Russian president sent a message of condolence to Italian President Sergio Mattarella. He acknowledged that Berlusconi’s death was a great misfortune for him, as a true friend and dear man had passed away. He called Berlusconi a remarkable person with whom the most important events in Italy’s modern history were associated. Putin emphasized Berlusconi’s "truly invaluable personal contribution to the development of mutually beneficial Russian-Italian partnership.".