Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski confirmed on Wednesday the death of Interior Minister Denis Monastirski after a helicopter crashed in the outskirts of the capital, Kiev, and called for «clarifying the circumstances of what happened».
«Today a terrible tragedy has taken place in Brovary,» said the president, who put the number of dead at 15, including three children. «The pain is unspeakable. The helicopter fell on the grounds of a kindergarten,» he said, before stressing that «the exact number of victims of the tragedy is being clarified».
Thus, he pointed out that among the deceased are Monastirski, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Yevhen Tenin; the Secretary of State for Internal Affairs, Yuri Lubkovich; his assistants and the crew members of the aircraft. «I have ordered the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in cooperation with the National Police and other authorized agencies, to determine the circumstances of what happened,» he stressed.
Zelensky, who has described the deceased members of the Interior Ministry leadership as «true patriots,» has conveyed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims. «May they rest in peace. May all whose lives were taken on this black morning rest in peace,» he remarked.
For his part, deputy advisor to the Ukrainian Presidency Kirilo Timoshenko has stressed that the Interior Ministry’s top brass was traveling to a «hot zone» in the country, Ukrinform Ukrainian news agency has reported. «The purpose (of the flight) was to carry out work in a hot zone of the country. The interior minister was heading there,» he stressed, without giving further details.
Shortly before, Ukraine’s chief prosecutor, Andrei Kostin, had stated that «for now all options are being considered» in the incident and added that «the preliminary investigation will be in the hands of SBU investigators.» «The matter is under my personal control,» he stressed.
For his part, the governor of the Kiev region, Oleksiy Kuleba, has raised the number of dead to 18, including three children, and put the number of injured at 29, including 15 minors, according to a brief message posted on his Telegram account.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
