A day in the life of a frontline medic in Donbas | On The Ground
Ukraine interior minister Denys Monastyrsky and three children are among at least 18 people dead after a helicopter crashed near a nursery in an suburb of Kyiv, officials say.
President Volodymr Zelensky described the crash a “terrible tragedy” that it has been a “black morning”.
“As of this minute, 3 children died. The pain is unspeakable,” Mr Zelensky wrote, offering his condolences to the victims’ friends and families.
Nine of those killed were onboard the emergency services helicopter, according to national police chief Ihor Klymenko. The nine included two other senior ministry officials.
At least 20 people have been injured, including multiple children. Mr Monastyrskyi, responsible for the police and security inside Ukraine, would be the most senior Ukrainian official to die since the war began.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is inching closer to securing approval for German-made Leopard 2 tanks. British defence secretary Ben Wallace is set to meet his counterparts from the Baltic countries to build more pressure on Berlin to send the heavy war vehicles to Kyiv.
This comes amid fears in Kyiv that Vladimir Putin could order his troops to make a final “final push” on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
