Former Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov confirmed the fact that he had been searched within the framework of investigation proceedings on one of the working versions of the causes for a crash of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service's helicopter in Brovary, Kyiv region, on January 18.

"The investigation took interest in the contracts on the purchase of Super Puma (Airbus Helicopters H225) helicopters by the Interior Ministry. The investigators behaved properly although the reasonability for such an investigative action looks a bit stupid six years after the conclusion of the contract. Naturally, nothing of interest to the investigation was found," he said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

The ex-minister recalled that the contract between Ukraine and France on the supply of Airbus helicopters to the Interior Ministry of Ukraine was concluded within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2018. In addition, the contract was audited by the French government and treasury.

"These helicopters have saved and will save thousands of lives. And I am proud of being a part of this project," Avakov said.

As reported, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) conducted searches at the home of former Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov on Wednesday.

On January 18, 2023, in the morning, a State Emergency Service helicopter with the leadership of the Interior Ministry on board crashed in Brovary, near a kindergarten. In particular, Interior Minister of Ukraine Denys Monastyrsky, his First Deputy Yevhen Enin, State Secretary of the Interior Ministry Yuriy Lubkovych were killed in the crash.

In total, 14 people died, including one child, and 25 people were injured, including eleven children.