Ukrainian government dismisses head of State Emergency Service Serhiy Kruk

Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, reported the information.

Kruk's deputy, Volodymyr Demchuk, has been appointed acting head of the State Emergency Service. 

"The internal inspection in the SES is completed. Based on its results, additional personnel changes will be made. The State Emergency Service is operating as usual," Klymenko said.

In response to the investigation into the helicopter crash involving the State Emergency Service and under the guidance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Interior Minister has announced personnel changes. These decisions were made following internal inspections within the State Emergency Service. The investigation led to the suspicion of 5 SES officials in connection with the crash.

The helicopter crash in Brovary

On January 18, a helicopter crashed near a kindergarten in Brovary, Ukraine. 14 victims were identified after the tragedy, including the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

A number of countries expressed their condolences to the Ukrainian people over the helicopter crash in Brovary, which killed Interior Ministry officials and children.

On January 20, the government set up a commission to investigate the Brovary helicopter crash.

Ukrainian aviator Hennadiy Khazan believes that the first results of the investigation into the helicopter crash in Brovary should be expected in a year.

On February 6, Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that high-ranking officials were banned from traveling by helicopter until the investigation into the causes of the Brovary helicopter crash is completed.

On March 3, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the "Black Box" found at the site of the helicopter crash with the Interior Ministry leadership in Brovary had been decrypted in France, and the decrypted materials had already been handed over to the investigation.

On July 31, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said that the conclusions of the pre-trial investigation into the helicopter crash in Brovary, Kyiv region, which killed Ukraine’s Interior Ministry leadership, would be announced in the near future. The version of sabotage has not been confirmed.