Helicopter crash in Brovary: Line of enquiry that suggested sabotage not confirmed

The line of enquiry that suggested sabotage, which could have led to the helicopter crash in Brovary, Kyiv Oblast, in January 2023, which killed the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has not been confirmed. The conclusions of the pre-trial investigation will be announced in the near future.

Source: Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin in an interview with Ukrinform news agency 

Quote from Kostin: "As of now, I can say that the versions related to sabotage or attempts on the lives of public figures [regarding the helicopter crash in Brovary – ed.] have not been confirmed. We will announce the final conclusions of the pre-trial investigation in the near future."

Details: Kostin pointed out again that at the beginning of the investigation, four main lines of enquiry were developed: an attempt on the life of public figures, including an act of sabotage; the downing of the aircraft; a conflict situation on board; or a pilot’s mistake, technical failure of the vessel, improper flight planning, non-compliance with flight rules and difficult weather conditions.

Kostin said the investigation, which is being carried out by specialists from the interagency investigation team of the State Bureau of Investigation and the Security Service of Ukraine, is ongoing. The Prosecutor General's Office provides procedural guidance.

Airbus Helicopters specialists, as well as specialists from the Ministry of Defence, the National Police and the National Guard, are involved in the investigation.

As of today, all the necessary technical documents have been collected, and the necessary examinations are being completed.

Quote from Kostin: "With the help of our French partners from Airbus, the flight data recorders were decrypted. Based on the collected data, a 3D modelling of the tragic flight was carried out."

Background:

• On 18 January, a helicopter crashed  near a kindergarten in Brovary, Kyiv Oblast, and a fire broke out. The crash killed the top leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, his first deputy Yevhen Yenin, State Secretary Yurii Lubkovych, and the minister's assistants and security guards. Information on the total number of fatalities varied.
• The State Emergency Service stated that a total of 14 people were killed, including one child.
• The Security Service of Ukraine opened an investigation into the crash of the helicopter in Brovary, with the main versions being a violation of flight rules, a technical malfunction and intentional actions. In February, the investigation reported that it had interviewed more than 6,000 witnesses to the tragedy.

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