On Wednesday, a helicopter transporting the interior ministry's top executives crashed close to a school and a housing complex in the Kyiv region, killing at least 14 people, including all nine individuals on board, according to officials.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, 11 children were among the additional 25 injured after the incident in Brovary on Wednesday.
Ukraine Helicopter Crash
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said all nine people aboard the helicopter-six ministry officials and three crew members-were found dead at the crash scene, making a total of 14 bodies.
Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky, First Deputy Minister Yevheniy Yenin, and State Secretary Yuriy Lubkovychis were all declared deceased by the Ukrainian National Police. As per CNN, there has been no mention of Russian participation by any Ukrainian officials, and the crash's official reason has yet to be disclosed.
The accident shocked the nation at a crucial juncture in the war. Ukraine has been pleading with Western partners for more weapons as Russian attacks target its vital infrastructure and civilian populations indiscriminately. James Waterhouse, a correspondent for the BBC in Ukraine, has been delivering updates from the Brovary neighborhood crash site on the outskirts of Kyiv.
At the accident site near a kindergarten, he discovered three dead, wrapped in foil blankets, and airplane debris, including a door panel and one of the rotors. The BBC stated that a video of the incident's aftermath showed flames and smoke engulfing a vast area between two residential high-rises. Additionally, photographs depict the next kindergarten to be smoky.
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Probable Cause of Helicopter Crash
According to Ukrainian officials, the glazing of a 14-story residential building and three automobiles were damaged by the fire, which also damaged the National Emergency Service facility. After hearing "such an explosion," a witness claimed to see "a terrible fireball" and a helicopter "circling above our home." She asserted that the flaming helicopter was moving toward a nearby smaller structure.
According to officials, the helicopter crashed at approximately 08:20 local time (06:20 GMT), just half an hour after daybreak. Multiple videos depict overcast and foggy weather. It is believed to have been traveling east toward the front line. Kharkiv's police chief, Volodymyr Tymoshko, stated in a Facebook post that he was scheduled to visit the officials on board today.
"We've conducted expeditions with ministers before, which included hugging treelines and occasionally vaulting over power lines," he continues. Some researchers have observed overhead cables between buildings surrounding the accident site, which could have created a hazard to aircraft flying at extremely low altitudes.
However, BBC's correspondent reporting from the scene says he has not observed any damaged cables in the area. According to Ukrainian officials, the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma deployed by the State Emergency Service. In photographs of the crash scene, red and white debris matching those of these aircraft can be seen.
This is not a combat-capable military helicopter, and it is frequently used to transport members of the Ukrainian government. There was no early news on whether the crash resulted from the battle with Russia or an accident. There have been no recent reports of conflict in the Kyiv region, per Mirror.
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