President of Ukraine Volodymir Zelensky spoke about the helicopter crash that took place on the morning of January 18 in Brovary, Kiev region. The vehicle crashed into a day care center, killing at least 14 people. Among the victims are Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi, as well as several of his trusted people and four small children. In addition, reports CNN, 25 people were injured, including eleven children.
All this led Volodymir Zelensky to describe, via his Telegram channel, the event as "a terrible tragedy" that would cause the morning of January 18, 2023 to be remembered as "a dark morning" in Ukraine:
Today, a terrible tragedy occurred in Brovary, Kiev region. A state emergency services helicopter crashed and a fire broke out at the crash site. The exact number of victims of the tragedy is currently being established. Among them are Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, his first deputy, Yevhen Yenin, Interior Ministry State Secretary Yuri Lubkovych, his assistants and the helicopter crew. The pain is indescribable. The helicopter landed on the territory of one of the kindergartens.
An investigation is opened
The circumstances surrounding the accident are not entirely clear. As explained by Ukrainian presidential aide Kirilo Tymoshenko, the helicopter was heading to the front line of the war with Russia.
However, as confirmed by the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, the aircraft was on its way to the site of a missile attack in the city of Dnipro. However, the Ukrainian president assured in his message on Telegram that they will investigate everything that happened until they find out exactly what happened to cause the helicopter to crash: "I have instructed the Security Service of Ukraine, in cooperation with the National Police of Ukraine and other authorized agencies, to find out all the circumstances of what happened."
Igor Klimenko, new interim Minister of Internal Affairs
Following the death of Denis Monastyrskyi, the Ukrainian government has already announced that, until Parliament nominates a new candidate, the acting Minister of Internal Affairs will be Igor Klimenko. Prime minister of Ukraine, Denis Schmigal announced the news in a statement published by Huffington Post: "The Ministry of the Interior is one of the key branches of our country's security, so the necessary protocols are needed to maintain control of all matters," he said.
