11:25 - 27.03.2018

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March 27, Fineko/abc.az. The Russian president held a meeting in Kemerovo on the liquidation of consequences of the fire at the Zimnyaya Vishnya shopping centre.

During the meeting Vladimir Putin said that negligence and slovenliness were among the causes of the incident.

"What is happening here is not fighting, it is not an unexpected release of methane at the mine. People with children came to rest. We're talking about demographics and are losing so many people because of what? Because of criminal negligence and slackitude," President Putin said.

The Russian leader expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims, starting the meeting with a minute of silence.

In the course of the meeting he instructed chairman of the Russian Federation Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin to give legal assessment of the actions of tragedy culprit officials.

"Legal assessment should be given to actions of each responsible official. Currently it is impossible to receive a required document or certificate from a functionary without money, but any document could be signed by the official just for money," President Putin said.

The fire in the shopping center began on Sunday, March 25.

According to data of the Investigative Committee and the Emergency Situations Ministry, 64 people were killed and the process of identification is still ongoing. A criminal case on the fact of fire was initiated on three articles of the Criminal Code, and arson is considered as one of the probable versions of the incident.