This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/15/kremlin-denies-unfounded-claim-it-caused-polish-presidents-plane-crash
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Kremlin denies 'unfounded' claim it caused Polish president's plane crash | Kremlin denies 'unfounded' claim it caused Polish president's plane crash |
| (6 months later) | |
| The Kremlin has criticised Poland’s defence minister for suggesting that the 2010 plane crash that killed the president was an act of terrorism perpetrated by Russia. | The Kremlin has criticised Poland’s defence minister for suggesting that the 2010 plane crash that killed the president was an act of terrorism perpetrated by Russia. |
| Official investigations by Poland and Russia have determined that the crash that killed Lech Kaczyński and dozens of other top officials was an accident caused by the error of pilots trying to land in heavy fog. | Official investigations by Poland and Russia have determined that the crash that killed Lech Kaczyński and dozens of other top officials was an accident caused by the error of pilots trying to land in heavy fog. |
| Defence minister Antoni Macierewicz has long suggested the crash, which took place near Smolensk, Russia, could have been an assassination, but his weekend comments were unusually strong and seemed to target Moscow. | Defence minister Antoni Macierewicz has long suggested the crash, which took place near Smolensk, Russia, could have been an assassination, but his weekend comments were unusually strong and seemed to target Moscow. |
| “What happened near Smolensk was aimed at depriving Poland of its leadership, which was on a path of leading our nation to independence,” Macierewicz said in a lecture at a Catholic university in the city of Toruń. | “What happened near Smolensk was aimed at depriving Poland of its leadership, which was on a path of leading our nation to independence,” Macierewicz said in a lecture at a Catholic university in the city of Toruń. |
| “We were the first victims of terrorism in the 1930s, and through Smolensk, we can say that we were also the first major victim of terrorism in a modern conflict, which is unfolding before our eyes,” Macierewicz said. | “We were the first victims of terrorism in the 1930s, and through Smolensk, we can say that we were also the first major victim of terrorism in a modern conflict, which is unfolding before our eyes,” Macierewicz said. |
| Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the words “unfounded, biased and having nothing to do with the real circumstances of this tragedy.” | Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the words “unfounded, biased and having nothing to do with the real circumstances of this tragedy.” |
| Vladimir Markin, the spokesman for the Investigative Committee, Russia’s main investigative agency, said on Twitter: “A new leader has suddenly emerged in the race for the most absurd and stupid statement.” | Vladimir Markin, the spokesman for the Investigative Committee, Russia’s main investigative agency, said on Twitter: “A new leader has suddenly emerged in the race for the most absurd and stupid statement.” |
| In Poland, an opposition MP and former deputy foreign minister, Rafał Trzaskowski, said he was “terrified by these words.” | In Poland, an opposition MP and former deputy foreign minister, Rafał Trzaskowski, said he was “terrified by these words.” |
| Macierewicz is due to host a Nato summit taking place in Warsaw in July. The military alliance is increasingly at odds with Russia over its actions in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere. | Macierewicz is due to host a Nato summit taking place in Warsaw in July. The military alliance is increasingly at odds with Russia over its actions in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere. |
| Kaczyński was the identical twin brother of Jarosław Kaczyński, the head of the governing party, Law and Justice. Since the party took power last November it has launched sweeping legal changes to the country and last month reopened an investigation into the crash, which killed 96 people. | Kaczyński was the identical twin brother of Jarosław Kaczyński, the head of the governing party, Law and Justice. Since the party took power last November it has launched sweeping legal changes to the country and last month reopened an investigation into the crash, which killed 96 people. |
| In February, while in announcing the new investigation, Macierewicz said that key evidence pointing to Russian responsibility was hidden in the original Polish report, which was compiled under a government led by the rival Civic Platform party. | In February, while in announcing the new investigation, Macierewicz said that key evidence pointing to Russian responsibility was hidden in the original Polish report, which was compiled under a government led by the rival Civic Platform party. |
| The plane that crashed in April 2010 was carrying a presidential delegation to Russia for observances honoring Polish officers killed in and around Katyn by the Soviet secret police in 1940. For decades Moscow refused to acknowledge responsibility for those crimes, and the subject was a taboo for decades of Moscow-backed communist rule in Poland as well. | The plane that crashed in April 2010 was carrying a presidential delegation to Russia for observances honoring Polish officers killed in and around Katyn by the Soviet secret police in 1940. For decades Moscow refused to acknowledge responsibility for those crimes, and the subject was a taboo for decades of Moscow-backed communist rule in Poland as well. |
| Macierewicz said that Poland appeared to finally be free in 2009 to speak openly about those massacres. But “half a year later we learned that raising this issue would trigger a reaction which the modern world could not image. A reaction which caused the death of the entire Polish elite, simply the death of the Polish delegation over Smolensk flying to Katyn.” | Macierewicz said that Poland appeared to finally be free in 2009 to speak openly about those massacres. But “half a year later we learned that raising this issue would trigger a reaction which the modern world could not image. A reaction which caused the death of the entire Polish elite, simply the death of the Polish delegation over Smolensk flying to Katyn.” |