According to police, Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyj died in a helicopter crash near the capital Kyiv. At least 16 people died in the crash in the small town of Brovary, police chief Ihor Klymenko said on Facebook on Wednesday. Deputy Interior Minister Yehwhenij Jenin and a state secretary were also among the dead. Two children were also killed, police said.

As the InterfaxUkraine news agency reports, the helicopter crashed near a kindergarten and a residential building.

The head of the Kyiv regional military administration Oleksiy Kuleba told the Telegram news service on Wednesday morning: "During the tragedy, children and employees of the facility were in the kindergarten. At the moment, everyone has been evacuated. There are victims. Ambulances, police and firefighters are at the crash site in action."

Note: A first version said that Kuleba spoke on Thursday morning. Correct is Wednesday morning. This has been corrected.