Eighteen people are dead, including Ukrainian interior ministry leadership and three children, after a helicopter crashed near a kindergarten building in a suburb of Kyiv, Ukraine, and caused an explosion and massive fire, authorities said Wednesday morning.
The crash happened in Brovary, a city in Kyiv Oblast in northern Ukraine, a spokesperson for the Kyiv regional police told the Kyiv Post. BBC News reports that the interior affairs minister, Denys Monastyrsky, was with eight others in the helicopter. His first deputy minister, Yevgeny Yenin, and the state secretary, Yuriy Lubkovich, also died.
Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi, his 1st deputy Yevhen Yenin and Ministry’s state secretary Yurii Lubkovych died today in Kyiv region.
My colleagues, my friends. What a tragic loss. Deepest condolences to their families. pic.twitter.com/oRV7qew7OZ
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) January 18, 2023
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The Associated Press reports it was an emergency services helicopter that crashed, according to Ihor Klymenko, chief of Ukraine’s National Police.
Authorities say 29 people are also injured and in the hospital, including at least nine children.
Ukraine’s National Police say the crash may have been caused by the thick mist in the air and a pilot’s mistake, according to Euromaidan Press.
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The United States continues to send aid to Ukraine as the country defends itself from Russia. Feb. 24 will mark one year of fighting since Russia invaded the country.
