Ukraine: Minister, 17 others die in Helicopter crash near Kyiv
At least 18 persons died including a Ukraine minister after a helicopter crashed near a Kindergarten in the city of Brovary outside Kyiv city on Wednesday, AFP reported. The crash reportedly damaged the nursery building and killed two children also. The videos of the incident were circulated on social media in the aftermath showing people screaming while firefighters carried out the rescue work.
What did official say?
Giving details about the incident Kyiv region governor Oleksiy Kuleba said 18 people died in the crash including top officials of the interior ministry. Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and his first deputy minister, Yevgeniy Yenin are also among those killed, per National Police chief Igor Klymenko. Reportedly, nearly 30 people were hospitalized including 15 children following the crash while the rescue operation is on.
Visuals from the crash site
Recent tragic event killed 45 including children
Officials told AFP the cause of the crash was not yet known and the team will ascertain once the rescue operation is over. They said at the time of the crash children and employees were in the kindergarten. Notably, another incident happened on the weekend in which a Russian missile struck a residential building near Dnipro city killing 45 people including children.
Battle in Brovary town till April 2022
According to reports, the crash reportedly occurred the Brovary town, which is about 20 kilometers northeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The area witnessed battles between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers for control in the early phases of Moscow's invasion until Russian forces withdrew in April. Recall that on February 24 of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin dispatched soldiers to pro-Western Ukraine.
Russia-Ukraine crisis
Russia has pummeled Ukraine and its infrastructure recently in a series of attacks. But from Kyiv's side, the latest strike is reportedly the deadliest counteroffensive attack since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February last year, primarily over a territorial dispute. Last week, Russia fired hundreds of missiles targeting Ukraine's power and water supplies. The Kremlin, however, maintains that it refrains from hitting civilians.
