At least 16 people, including two children, lost their lives in the incident, Igor Klimenko, the head of Ukraine’s National Police, wrote on Telegram. Nine victims were on board the helicopter, he added.

Another 22 people, including ten children, were injured, Klimenko said.

No immediate account of the cause of the crash was issued by officials.

Kilmenko said Monastyrsky was killed in the crash along with his deputy and other senior ministry officials.

Media outlets later reported the death toll to be 18, including 3 children, and 29 injured, including 15 children.

The helicopter came down near a nursery.

The helicopter belonged to the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry. 

Monastyrsky, 42, has been Ukraine’s Interior Minister since August 2019. 

The Interior Ministry said it’s looking into several possible reasons for the crash, including malfunction of equipment, violation of security rules and sabotage.