Chopper crash kills top Ukrainian officials

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

#Ukraine, January 20, 2023 – Ukraine’s Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, and other top officials were killed Wednesday morning when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed in the capital of the country, Kiev.   At least 14 people including one child lost their lives when the plane went down next to a residential building and kindergarten which was at the time occupied by staff and children.

Along with the Minister, the first deputy minister and the state secretary were also killed according to updates from the country’s police.  No Minister of government has been killed since Russia launched its attack on the country in February of 2022.

The cause of the crash is believed to be accidental, at this stage.

The crash leaves the country without its top officials in the ministry which oversees security and runs the police in the midst of a war.  Residents in the area told the BBC their own theories for why the aircraft possibly came down pointing the finger once again at Russia

“It was very foggy and there was no electricity, and when there’s no electricity there are no lights on the buildings,” local resident Volodymyr Yermelenko said.

Only 9 people were on board the aircraft when it went down and the other casualties were likely residents on the ground though police say the final count is still not concrete. The kindergarten building was also badly damaged.

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the crash as a tragedy.