Helicopter crash near Kyiv kills 18, including Ukrainian interior minister - CNN

CNN  — 

A chopper clang adjacent a kindergarten successful the Kyiv portion has killed astatine slightest 18 people, including Ukraine’s full interior ministry enactment team, according to officials.

At slightest 29 others were injured successful the incidental connected Wednesday successful the metropolis of Brovary, connected the outskirts of Ukraine’s capital, according to Oleksiy Kuleba, caput of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.

Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky, First Deputy Minister Yevheniy Yenin and Secretary of State Yuriy Lubkovychis died successful the crash, Anton Geraschenko, a ministry adviser, confirmed connected societal media, portion describing those connected the chopper arsenic “patriots of Ukraine.”

The 9 radical onboard the craft died, portion the different casualties were locals “bringing their children to the kindergarten,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, caput of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration.

Kuleba, speaking alongside Tymoshenko astatine the country to reporters, added “there is presently nary accusation connected the fig of missing children. Identification is ongoing. Parents are coming, lists are being compiled.”

A CNN squad connected the crushed successful the Kyiv portion noted grey skies and precise debased visibility.

The chopper that has crashed was a Eurocopter EC225 “Super Puma,” a CNN shaper has confirmed aft seeing remnants of formation manuals among the debris.

It landed adjacent a kindergarten and a residential building, Kuleba said earlier.

“At the clip of the tragedy, determination were children and the unit successful the kindergarten. At the moment, everyone was evacuated,” helium wrote connected Telegram.

Paramedics, the constabulary and firefighters are responding astatine the scene, helium added.