Anniversary of Kaczynski crash

Poles filled churches on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and 94 others in western Russia. Poland's new President Bronislaw Komorowski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk laid a wreath at a Warsaw cathedral on Sunday at 8:41, the exact moment the plane crashed in Smolensk, Russia. Anniversary of Kaczynski crash The victims' families gathered for a mass at the Warsaw airport, where 96 coffins had been returned to Poland last year. But the day of mourning was marred by deep political and social divisions in the country. Opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, twin brother of the deceased president, decided not to attend the state ceremonies. Kaczynski has been critical of the government's handling of the aftermath of the crash. Instead he placed a wreath in front of the presidential palace. Protests were planned throughout the day by demonstrators who believe the government has been too soft on Russia in the way it dealt with the accident. A large crowd gathered in front of the presidential palace waving Polish flags. A ceremony was held on Saturday at the site of the crash in Smolensk, attended by the first lady of Poland, Anna Komorowska. She was joined by more than 100 relatives of the victims. Kaczynski, his wife and many of the nation's elite had been on their way to Katyn, to mark the anniversary of the massacre of 22,000 Poles by Soviet forces in 1940. "We are in a place that will leave a permanent scar on our memory," Komorowska said. "I'm shaken, I'm still shaken," said Pawel Deresz, whose wife, a member of Polish parliament, was killed in the crash. "I'm here for the second time since the crash and I still cannot believe it." (Beta) Strained diplomacy The crash had placed more pressure on relations between Warsaw and Moscow, already strained by the events at Katyn at the beginning of World War II. During investigations into the cause of the plane crash, both countries found cause to blame the other side. But on Saturday, some of the attendees were too busy to point fingers. "We lost Poland's brightest on two occasions here," said Roman Skapski. The elderly man said he had lost four relatives in Katyn and a brother in the accident last year. "But the similarities should end there," he said. "The plane crash is not a political event." Komorowski is due to arrive at the site on Monday where he will meet his Russian counterpart, President Dmitry Medvedev.

Anniversary of Kaczynski crash

The victims' families gathered for a mass at the Warsaw airport, where 96 coffins had been returned to Poland last year.

But the day of mourning was marred by deep political and social divisions in the country. Opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, twin brother of the deceased president, decided not to attend the state ceremonies. Kaczynski has been critical of the government's handling of the aftermath of the crash. Instead he placed a wreath in front of the presidential palace.

Protests were planned throughout the day by demonstrators who believe the government has been too soft on Russia in the way it dealt with the accident. A large crowd gathered in front of the presidential palace waving Polish flags.

A ceremony was held on Saturday at the site of the crash in Smolensk, attended by the first lady of Poland, Anna Komorowska. She was joined by more than 100 relatives of the victims.

Kaczynski, his wife and many of the nation's elite had been on their way to Katyn, to mark the anniversary of the massacre of 22,000 Poles by Soviet forces in 1940.

"We are in a place that will leave a permanent scar on our memory," Komorowska said.

"I'm shaken, I'm still shaken," said Pawel Deresz, whose wife, a member of Polish parliament, was killed in the crash. "I'm here for the second time since the crash and I still cannot believe it."

Strained diplomacy

The crash had placed more pressure on relations between Warsaw and Moscow, already strained by the events at Katyn at the beginning of World War II. During investigations into the cause of the plane crash, both countries found cause to blame the other side. But on Saturday, some of the attendees were too busy to point fingers.

"We lost Poland's brightest on two occasions here," said Roman Skapski. The elderly man said he had lost four relatives in Katyn and a brother in the accident last year.

"But the similarities should end there," he said. "The plane crash is not a political event."

Komorowski is due to arrive at the site on Monday where he will meet his Russian counterpart, President Dmitry Medvedev.