Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Zubkov, I have asked you to head the government commission charged with assisting the survivors of the terrorist act of November 27 and the families of the injured.

Another similar terrorist act has been attempted since then, in Dagestan.

As for overall infrastructure security, there is only one way to achieve it - by preventing terrorism. This is up to the law enforcement and security agencies.

And we should not forget those affected by this tragedy, but quickly provide them with all the assistance they need.

We must also rebuild the railway. Russian Railways says everything has been restored, but we should check the quality of the repairs, examine what is being done in the vicinity of the railway, and put everything into order.

What has been done?

Viktor Zubkov: The government commission encountered many problems after the wreck. We are concentrating on the most essential - relief and repairs.

An emergency train took 529 passengers away from the wreck site to the Uglovka station, after which they took the Sapsan to St Petersburg to arrive at 3 in the morning.

In the dead of night, it was hard to get the injured out of a wooded area with no good roads and to a hospital. Nevertheless, they were taken to the nearest hospitals in the Novgorod and Tver regions.

Twenty-six of those who died have been identified as of today. Eighty-seven patients are in hospital, twenty of them in a bad state. Two are missing, and one body remains unidentified. These are today's tragic statistics.

The governors of St Petersburg, Novgorod, Tver and Moscow have done a tremendous job. They have worked with the government commission to carry out a colossal task.

The injured are getting excellent treatment. The majority are in St Petersburg and Moscow.

Funerals will start tomorrow. I have talked to all the governors involved, and they say all funeral services will be paid for, and that everyone will receive assistance.

Vladimir Putin: Will the victims' families receive money?

Viktor Zubkov: Yes. We are waiting for the final list of those who died in the tragedy, as well as the lists of badly and slightly injured victims. The lists will be ready tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.

We will use those lists to allocate benefits. You will receive a draft of the executive order. We intend to pay 300,000 roubles to the family of everyone who died, 100,000 apiece to the badly injured, and 50,000 to those with milder injuries. Similar sums will be paid from the regional budgets. Russian Railways will pay 500,000 roubles to the family of everyone who died, and 200,000 to the badly injured. So the families of everyone who died will receive more than a million roubles, while the families of those who were injured will receive slightly less.

The commission will not stop working until the last patient leaves the hospital and the last kopeck reaches its beneficiary.

Railway repairs have been very quick. Over 1,200 metres of the track have been laid, and 500 metres of electric wires and pylons have been restored. We will work till the matter is entirely settled.

Vladimir Putin: Inquire with the Health Ministry as to whether everything really is being done for the victims. Moscow and St Petersburg surely have no shortage of medicine and doctors, but we must see whether the small, remote hospitals have everything they need.

Viktor Zubkov: The majority of patients have been taken to Moscow and St Petersburg. The smaller hospitals have one patient each.

Vladimir Putin: When will the papers you mentioned be ready?

Viktor Zubkov: As soon as we get the final lists from the regions. They have promised them by tonight. We will give you the papers for signing immediately.

Vladimir Putin: So they will be ready within two days?

Viktor Zubkov: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: Good.