In the north-west of Ukraine in the Rivne region crashed Mi-8 helicopter. On board were four people, they all died.
“At 23:50 (coincides with Moscow time) ... near the village of Sestryatin of the Radivilovsky region during the scheduled flight, the Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Armed Forces crashed and then burned, resulting in the death of four crew members. At 1:02 am on May 30, the fire was eliminated, ”the press service of the Ground Forces of Ukraine said.
It is noted that the helicopter fell in the forest about three kilometers from the village. In the military unit A2595 held scheduled flight exercises "Day and Night."
As a result of the crash, the members of the 16th separate brigade of the Army Aviation of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were killed: the brigade commander, Colonel Ihor Mazepa; Senior Lieutenant, Flight Attendant Senior Lieutenant Pavel Datsyuk, Pilot-Navigator Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Popenko and Flight Attendant Captain Vasily Romanyuk.
According to the press center of the Land Forces of Ukraine, 54 people and 10 pieces of equipment took part in extinguishing a fire at the site of an emergency.
Investigation
At the crash site of the helicopter are investigators. In addition, a commission of the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and the command of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine arrived at the scene of the accident. The causes of the incident are being investigated.
- © National Police Khmelnitsky region
The investigation also deals with the State Bureau of Investigation (RRG) of Ukraine.
“Investigators of the Khmelnitsky Terrorist Directorate of the GDI are investigating the circumstances of the fall of the Mi-8 helicopter in the Rivne region. The helicopter fell on the night of May 30th. The procedural management of the pre-trial investigation is carried out by the military prosecutor's office of the Rivne garrison, ”the press center of the land forces of Ukraine said.
The ministry also noted that a criminal case was initiated under Article 416 of the Criminal Code (violation of flight rules).
Condolences
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky expressed condolences to the families and friends of those killed in a military crash. He also commissioned the head of the General Staff, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ruslan Homchak, to lead the investigation.
“Not a good morning. The crash of a military helicopter in the Rivne region. Four dead warrior. He instructed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Homchak to take the investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy under his personal control. My sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims, ”wrote Zelensky on Twitter.
Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada honored the memory of the crew of the Mi-8 helicopter.
“The commander of the 16th separate brigade of the Army aviation of the Ground Forces, Igor Mazepa, and the crew members died. On behalf of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and on my own behalf, I express condolences to the families and friends of the dead servicemen, ”said Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andrei Paruby, opening the parliament meeting on Thursday.
Alexander Danilyuk, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, also offered his condolences.
“I share the pain of your irreplaceable loss and express my sincere condolences and support at this difficult time. The bright memory, ”the NSDC press service quotes him.
The former head of the General Staff of Ukraine, Viktor Muzhenko, also commented on the incident.
“In the east of Ukraine, our aviators have to perform tasks in real combat conditions at extremely low altitudes. Courage, determination and high skill of military pilots saved the lives of not one infantryman and a paratrooper, but entire divisions, ”Muzhenko wrote on Facebook.
The press service of the Land Forces of Ukraine also published condolences in social networks.
“Interrupted flight. There are no words to express all melancholy and grief ... A cherished memory ..., ”says a message on Facebook.
In December 2018, the Su-27 fighter crashed while landing while performing planned flights in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine.
The command of the Air Force VSU then reported that it was one of the most new aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, the car was released in 1987. During operation, the plane spent 479 hours in the sky and made 824 landings.
In addition, in October last year, the Su-27 crashed in the Vinnitsa region of Ukraine. The crash killed the head of aviation of the air command "Vostok" and the US military.
44-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Seth Nering lived in Fresno in central California, served in the Air Forces of the US National Guard and arrived in Ukraine to support the Clear Sky-2018 international exercises.