Putin condoles death of Luzhkov

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences over the death of Moscow’s former mayor Yury Luzhkov, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"It is a grave news about Yury Luzhkov’s death. President Putin has sent a telegram extending sincere condolences to his family," the spokesman said.

"They [Putin and Luzhkov] actually worked together and the president always esteemed Luzhkov’s contribution to the development of such giant city as Moscow and the entire country, its economy," Peskov said. "They had very warm and very constructive relations," TASS cited him as saying.

Yury Luzhkov died today at the age of 83.