THE PRESIDENT OF POLAND & 95 OTHERS ARE KILLED IN A PLANE CRASH IN RUSSIA!

Poland's president and dozens of the nation's top leaders were among 96 people killed Saturday when their plane crashed in heavy fog as it attempted to land in Western Russia.
President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, the head of the national bank and the army chief of staff were among the dignitaries aboard the aged Tupolev Tu-154 that clipped treetops and slammed into the ground as it approached an airport runway near the city of Smolensk.

The delegation was on its way to a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of a massacre of 20,000 Polish officers by the Soviet secret police.

There were no survivors, and the eastern European nation was immediately plunged into deep mourning.

Flags were lowered to half-staff at the presidential palace, and people started to gather there to lay flowers and light candles, while others placed black ribbons in the windows of their home.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reportedly broke down in tears when he was delivered the news and described it as the "most tragic event in Poland's postwar history."

The crash may have wiped out as much as 10 % of the nation's leadership and brought political uncertainty to the country, which must now hold an election within two months to fill its top post.

"The political consequences will be long-term and possibly will change the entire future landscape of Polish politics," Jacek Wasilewski, professor at the Higher School of Social Psychology in Warsaw, told Reuters.

Condolences poured in from around the world. President Obama described Kaczynski as an admired and "distinguished statesman" who was "dedicated to advancing freedom and human dignity."

Pope Benedict XVI said in a condolence message that he learned of the deaths with "deep pain" and reassured the Polish people of his "spiritual closeness".

Also aboard the plane were two presidential aides, the deputy parliament speaker, the deputy foreign minister and the head of the national security office, according to the Law and Justice Party, which was founded by Kaczynski.

Russian authorities were quick to blame the crash on pilot error, saying they asked the jet to divert to nearby Minsk airport because of the poor visibility.

"But they continued landing, and it ended, unfortunately, with a tragedy," Air Force Gen. Alexander Alyoshin was quoted as saying. President Kaczynski and his wife are survived by their daughter, Marta.