Inside charred nursery gutted by helicopter crash explosion which killed 18
Chilling footage has shown the insides of the kindergarten that erupted into flames after a helicopter crashed into it in Ukraine this morning.
Three children perished in the crash with officials expecting the child death toll to rise as they scour the crash site for victims and survivors.
Among the adults killed were parents taking their youngsters to school.
Ukraine's Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, his deputy Yevhen Yenin, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yurii Lubkovych were among those inside the helicopter when it plummeted into the nursery in Brovary, a town to the east of Kyiv.
At least 18 people died in the tragedy, with another 29 injured, including 15 kids.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge himThere was no immediate word on whether the crash was an accident or a result of the war with Russia, though some officials speculate it could've been a case of sabotage.
No fighting has been reported recently in the Kyiv area.
After the flames were brought under control and survivors rushed to hospital, footage emerged reportedly showing the charred, gutted insides of the nursery where just hours earlier children had played.
In one of the clips from inside the building, the camera scans the pastel colours of the toilet cubcile doors and shows the charred doors blown off their handles among other debris strewn across the floor.
In another video of an eerily quiet courtyard, the external brick work is covered with black explosion marks as the ground is completely crowded with furniture and windows smashed apart by the blast.
It has been reported that the tragedy could become worse as the day unfolds as some children are still unaccounted for, according to the head of the Kyiv region military administration.
Oleksiy Kuleba told reporters at the scene that "there is no information on the number of missing children".
"Identification is ongoing. Parents are coming, lists are being compiled."
As frantic parents waited for news of their missing children today, twisted despot Vladimir Putin droned on about Russia breaking the siege of Leningrad 80 years ago.
Meanwhile, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska was seen blotting away the tears after hearing of the tragedy today.
Disabled woman paralysed after falling from wheelchair on plane walkway diesHer husband Volodymyr Zelensky called the crash a "terrible tragedy" as he ordered Ukraine's security services to investigate "all the circumstance of the incident".
He called his colleagues of the Interior Ministry "true patriots of Ukraine".
An interior ministry advisor, Anton Gerashchenko confirmed the deaths of his colleagues and suggested sabotage as a potential cause in a touching tribute this morning.
He said: "My friends, statesmen of Ukraine - Minister of Internal Affairs Denis Monastyrsky, Zhenya Yenin [Yevhen Yenin] and Yura Lubkovich died in a helicopter crash of the State Emergency Service in Brovary.
"Everyone on board the helicopter also died. The causes of the tragedy are being established by investigators.
"Whether it was sabotage, a technical malfunction, a violation of flight safety rules, we will soon find out.
"My deepest condolences to the families and friends of Denis, Yevhen and all the families of those killed in this terrible disaster.
"Denis, Zhenya, Yura, everyone who was on board the helicopter were patriots of Ukraine, each defended and strengthened Ukraine in their place. We will always remember you.
"Your families will always be under the protection of friends and the state. Eternal memory to you, Friends!"