Russian and French footballers have laid flowers in memory of more than 60 people who perished in the shopping center inferno in the Russian city of Kemerovo.
The players were accompanied by training staff, as well as Russian Football Union (RFU) and French embassy representatives in laying flowers by the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg, where the two teams will play a friendly on Tuesday.
A total 64 victims, most of them children, were killed when flames ripped through a popular shopping center in the Siberian city on Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently announced that Wednesday would be a national day of mourning.
Team Russia’s Twitter account featured a grey profile avatar as a mark of respect to the tragedy, and the friendly at Krestovsky Stadium will be preceded by a minute’s silence in remembrance.
Russian forward Fedor Smolov was one of a number of players to express his condolences on social media, posting an image of a candle with the caption: “Kemerovo, we mourn.”
Spartak Moscow captain and Russia midfielder Denis Glushakov posted a photograph with “25.03.20182" – the date of the attack – and the message: “Many victims, many children. We mourn with Kemerovo and send condolences to relatives and loved ones.”
The Football Supporters Europe Fans Embassy Russia also conducted a friendly game in St. Petersburg between fans of both teams dedicated to victims of the Kemerovo tragedy and the recent terrorist attacks in Trebes, which featured a minute’s silence before kick-off.