Authorities in Ukraine said that a helicopter that crashed into a kindergarten in a Kyiv suburb on Wednesday killed at least 17 persons, including the interior minis

Authorities in Ukraine said that a helicopter that crashed into a kindergarten in a Kyiv suburb on Wednesday killed at least 17 persons, including the interior minister and his senior assistants.

The most senior Ukrainian official to have perished since the start of the war in Ukraine is believed to be Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, who was in charge of the country's emergency services and police. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Telegram that two of his senior lieutenants, their assistants, and the helicopter crew were among the fatalities.

Nine people perished when the helicopter crashed in Brovary, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital in the east. Evidently lying on the ground were the other victims. Zelenskyy reported that 25 people were hurt, including 10 kids.

"Unspeakable pain," he said. "Bright memory to everyone whose life was taken by this black morning."

According to Zelenskyy, the national police and security services are investigating what caused the collision. Initial reporting did not indicate that the helicopter had been shot down. Images shared on social media from the area appear to show that it struck the kindergarten before crashing close to a residential structure.

"The tragedy's causes are being determined. We'll soon learn whether it was sabotage, a technical issue, or a breach of flight safety regulations, according to interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko.

According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the helicopter's owner, the accident happened at 8:20 a.m. Along with the nursery school, three vehicles, a 14-story residential structure, and an emergency services building were also damaged. According to the SES, a fire started at the location but was put out an hour later.

Ihor Klymenko, chief of the national police, wrote on Facebook that Denys Monastyrsky, interior minister, as well as his deputy Yevhen Yenin and state secretary Yuriy Lubkovich, a senior ministry official, were killed. Zelenskyy called all three “true patriots of Ukraine”.

Klymenko said all nine adults on board the helicopter, including SES crew members and ministry staff, were among the dead. The helicopter was flying from the capital to Kharkiv when it crashed, according to Volodymyr Tymoshenko, the northeastern region’s chief of police.

"It's sad. There is currently no proof that it was anything other than a tragic accident, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told reporters in Belfast. "This does not alter our determination."

Authorities uploaded videos and images that showed the burning wreckage of the chopper close to a building's entryway and victims scattered nearby.

The helicopter, according to air force spokeswoman Yuriy Ignat, was an AS332 Super Puma that France had donated to Ukraine. The helicopters, according to Ignat, were utilized for operations "near to hostilities" and were intended particularly for the SES and interior ministry.

“For now, we are considering all possible versions of the helicopter crash accident,” Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said on Telegram.

Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, held back tears as she addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Norwegian's Borge Brende, the forum's president, then called for a 15-second moment of silence to remember the victims of the tragedy.

Ukraine helicopter crash kills at least 17, including interior minister

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