The plane crashed as it attempted to land in thick fog at an airport in Smolensk, western Russia, while en route to a ceremony commemorating the 1940 massacre of thousands of Polish prisoners of war in Katyn.
The tragedy deeply shook the country, leading to widespread mourning and a period of national introspection that still resonates today.
On Monday morning, Polish President Andrzej Duda paid tribute to the late presidential couple in a crypt at Wawel Cathedral in the southern city of Kraków where they are laid to rest.
A series of events, including a religious service at St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw, are planned to mark the anniversary, with the participation of the country's top officials, including Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the twin brother of the late President.
The tragedy remains a deeply polarizing issue in Polish politics, with some groups accusing Russia of being responsible for the crash, while others argue that it was the result of human error or technical failure.
The Polish government has long called for a full and transparent investigation into the crash, but this has been hampered by tensions between Poland and Russia.
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in the case, with a new investigation launched in 2021 to examine potential evidence of foul play.
The ruling conservatives have long challenged an official report into the crash issued by the previous Polish government which cited a catalogue of errors on the Polish side, while also pointing to errors made by Russian staff at the control tower of Smolensk Military Airport.
Source: IAR
(tf)