Ukrainian authorities search house of ex-interior minister - report

KYIV (Reuters) - Former Ukrainian interior minister Arsen Avakov said his home was searched by security officials on Wednesday as part of an investigation into a purchase of Airbus helicopters, the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet reported.

An Airbus helicopter crashed on Jan. 18, killing 14 people including Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi and other top ministry officials.

The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the Ukrainska Pravda report. The head of Ukraine's ruling party later confirmed Avakov's home had been searched.

Ukrainska Pravda quoted Avakov as saying the search was related to the helicopter crash.

"They looked at Airbus contracts from six years ago," it quoted Avakov as saying.

Avakov, 59, resigned as Ukraine's interior minister, in July 2021. Prior to his resignation he was one of the country's most powerful officials, serving as the interior minister for over seven years.

(Reporting by Max Hunder; editing by Timothy Heritage)