Denis Monastyrsky died in the crash along with 17 other people

Ukrainian Interior Minister dies after helicopter crashes in Kiev

photo_camera PHOTO/UKRAINIAN INTERIOR MINISTRY - Ukrainian Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky killed in a helicopter crash in the Ukrainian town of Brovary in the Kiev region

Ukrainian Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky has died along with his deputy and 16 other people in the crash of a helicopter that crashed early this morning in the Ukrainian town of Brovary, in the Kiev region, according to Ukrainian authorities. 

"This morning, on 18 January, an Emergency Service helicopter crashed in Brovary. As a result of the plane crash, the heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs died: the minister, the first deputy minister and the secretary of state," says the note from the National Police. 

The head of the Kiev regional military administration, Oleksiy Kuleba, reported that the death toll at 10.30 a.m. (08.30 GMT) had risen to 18, including three children, as well as 29 injured, including 15 minors.  

Police had previously reported 16 dead, including two children, and that nine of the fatalities were on board the helicopter. In addition, 22 people are hospitalised, including 10 children, it added.

According to Ukrainian media, Monastyrsky, his first deputy, Yevhen Yenin, and Yuriy Lubkovych, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, were on board the helicopter. 

Speaking on television and reported by Unian, Ukrainian Air Force Command spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said that the helicopter that crashed in Brovary was performing State Emergency Service duties. "Unfortunately, this happened to the State Emergency Service helicopter, which was performing its tasks and overflying. At present there are a number of such helicopters in Ukraine carrying out tasks for the defence of the country," he said. He added that details from the State Emergency Service would have to be awaited.  

Kuleba had initially reported on his Telegram account of the helicopter crashing near a kindergarten and an apartment building, though without specifying numbers of dead and injured. "At the time of the tragedy there were children and employees of the institution in the kindergarten. At the moment everyone has been evacuated. There are casualties," he said.

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