Poland's new government on December 15 disbanded the controversial commission that had been investigating the Smolensk plane crash that killed then-President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others in 2010. The commission was created in 2016 by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Lech's twin brother, with the express goal of pinning blame for the crash on Russia, though it never presented any convincing evidence. The brothers' Law and Justice (PiS) party questioned the findings of an official inquest that the accident was caused by human error and bad weather. Jaroslaw Kaczynski was the PiS party's leader when the commission was formed.
Poland Scraps Probe Into 2010 Air Crash That Killed President
The wreckage of the Polish presidential plane that crashed in Smolensk, in western Russia, on April 10, 2010. All 96 people onboard died, including Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the chief of the Polish General Staff, and dozens of military officials, lawmakers, clergy, and others.