KYIV: As many as 16 people, including the interior minister of Ukraine, have died in a helicopter crash near Kyiv – the country’s capital.

Ukraine interior minister Denys Monastyrsky (42) died alongside his first deputy minister and state secretary, BBC reported.

Ukrainian officials said those on board the helicopter included six ministry officials and three crew.

First deputy minister Yevhen Yenin died along with state secretary Yurii Lubkovich, whose task was to organise the work of the ministry.

Deceased Ukraine interior minister Denys Monastyrsky was one of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s longest serving political advisers.

The helicopter crashed next to a kindergarten and a residential building at Brovary near Kyiv that saw heavy fighting during Russia’s invasion of the country.

“A helicopter of the state emergency service crashed in Brovary. As a result of the plane crash, the leadership of the interior ministry died,” head of Ukraine’s police service – Igor Klymenko – said in a statement.