In Ukraine, the interior minister Denys Monastyrsky, his deputy and 16 others have been killed in a tragic helicopter crash in Brovary, just outside of Kyiv on January 18.
The helicopter crashed near a kindergarten, killing three nursery children, as per reports.
Along with Denys Monastyrsky, his first deputy Yevgeny Yenin and state secretary Yuriy Lubkovich were among 8 government officials who were travelling in that helicopter.
The helicopter was reportedly a Eurocopter EC225 LP Super Puma. It is not clear whether it was shot down or it crashed due to any other factor.
As per reports, National police chief Ihor Klymenko confirmed on social media that the helicopter belonged to Ukraine’s state emergency services.
The helicopter reportedly first crashed into the kindergarten before hitting a nearby residential building.
Oleksiy Kuleba, the head of Kyiv’s regional military administration has informed that the crash has left 29 persons injured and 18 dead.
More details on the incident are awaited.
It is notable here that just a day ago, Aleksey Arestovich, one of President Zelensky’s top advisors had admitted that the missile explosion on a residential building in Dnipro recently was the result of a Ukrainian air defence deflecting an incoming missile. Soon after admitting this, Aleksey Arestovich had resigned from his post.