MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Rusian President Vladimir Putin has offered his condolences to the families of those killed in a deadly road accident in the Khanty-Mansyisk autonomous area and ordered to extend all necessary assistance to the families of the accident victims, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.

"In a telephone conversation with Natalya Komarova, the head of the Khanty-Mansyisk autonomous area, Putin expressed his sincere condolences to the parents and families of the children killed in this tragic accident," he said. "Putin ordered Komarova to offer all necessary assistance to the families of those killed and to those injured."

"The president also heard a report by Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova about the measures that are being taken and instructed the health ministry to offer due medical assistance to those injured in the traffic accident," Peskov said.

The accident involving a passenger bus, a truck and two cars occurred at 16:00 local time on Sunday at the 926th kilometer of the Khanty-Mansyisk-Tyumen highway. The bus with 32 passengers, of whom 29 were children, was moving from the city of Khanty-Mansyisk.

The accident claimed the lives of ten children and two adults.

A criminal case has been initiated. Investigators say the accident might have occurred because the bus driver lost control of the vehicle.

The authorities of the Khanty-Mansyisk autonomous area extended condolences to the families of those killed in the accident and declared a day of mourning on December 5.