Polish president killed in plane crash in Russia

Polish President Lech Kaczynski was among 132 people killed when a plane carrying them crashed in dense fog in southwestern Russian region of Smolensk today.

The Tu-154 Presidential plane crashed about 300 metres from the runway after hitting tree tops in dense fog, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said.

According to Rossiya 24 TV, there were 87 people on board. All of them died in the crash.

In Warsaw, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Petr Paszkowski said that President Kaczynski was on board the ill-fated Tu-154 aircraft.

Kaczynski was flying with a delegation to take part in the Katyn memorial ceremonies at the site where Polish military officers were executed on the orders of Soviet Dictator Joseph Stalin during the Second World War.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu to personally supervise rescue work in the Smolensk region.