The bodies of Russian nationals who were killed during the recent terrorist attack in Mali have arrived in Russia's Ulyanovsk region. A Volga-Dnepr Airlines plane airlifted the bodies to Russia.

A source that communicated with Tass confirmed that the plane carrying the victims' bodies on board arrived in the Ulyanovsk region. During the day only a limited number of people were allowed to visit the runway. The source also confirmed that the unloading procedure will be closed to outsiders, Tass reported.

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Alexander Sorokin, the spokesman for the regional investigative agency told TASS earlier that the identification procedures and forensic tests were carried on Sunday.

The mourning ceremonies will be carried out on Monday after which the funerals will follow in the city.

On Nov. 20, Islamic extremists attacked the Radisson Blue hotel in Bamako taking 170 people hostage; among them, 140 guests and 30 employees of the hotel.

French security services supported special units of the armed forces of Mali to storm the building. They managed to rescue hundreds of hostages; including six Russian nationals.

In the terror attack, twenty people were killed including six Russians. The deceased were reportedly crew members of Volga-Dnepr Airlines. Five of the victims were residents of the Russian Ulyanovsk region located in the mid-Volga area, some 880 kilometres southeast of Moscow. One was from Nizhny Novgorod, some 400km east of Moscow.

The Russian government declared a day of mourning in the Ulyanovsk region on November 23. The city's residents are still bringing candles flowers and icons to the airline's office.

TagsRussia, Mali Attack, Alexander Sorokin, Radisson Blue hotel, World News, Mali Hotel Attack Russians