Ukraine Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, his deputy Yevhen Yenin, and state secretary for the Interior Ministry Yurii Lubkovych were among at least 18 fatalities Wednesday, when their Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma slammed into a kindergarten in the Kiev suburb of Brovary. Three of the dead were children on the ground.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

The low-flying helicopter apparently hit a high-tension cable, shearing off the rotor mast.

The loss of the Interior Minister, who is responsible for shutting down Russian partisan and propaganda activities, and his key staff represents a decapitation of the leadership of that critical ministry at a very difficult time. It is sure to cause much turmoil in the next few days.