Ukraine ministers killed as helicopter comes down 

A helicopter crash in Ukraine has claimed the lives of eighteen people, including Ukraine’s interior affairs minister. 

The helicopter crashed beside a kindergarten in an eastern suburb of the capital Kyiv. 

Three children were amongst those killed, and 15 more are being treated in hospital. 

Minister Denys Mosastyrsky, was with eight others in the helicopter. His first deputy minister and the state secretary also died. 

The helicopter belonged to Ukraine’s state emergency service, according to a Facebook post from the National police chief Ihor Klymenko. 

The head of Kyiv’s regional military administration, Oleksiy Kuleba, said the tragedy had left 18 dead and at least 29 people injured. 

After the crash, a fire started close to the kindergarten and children and staff were moved from the building. Wreckage from the helicopter was visible outside a burning building. 

Reports say it was dark and foggy at the time of the crash and initial reports suggest the helicopter hit the kindergarten before crashing close to a residential building.