MOSCOW, November 3 (RIA Novosti) — Anti-aircraft rounds were fired at an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the organization's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) report said Monday.
"A truck-mounted, anti-aircraft gun (probably a ZU-23)… immediately fired numerous rounds at the SMM UAV, none of which hit it," the report stated.
According to the SMM, at a location of 17 kilometers (10.56 miles) east of Mariupol and east of the line of contact, the drone "spotted an armored personnel carrier (APC) and two Ural trucks at what appeared to be a checkpoint."
A person in camouflage uniform, close to the APC, pointed a man-portable air defense system (Man-Pad) at the drone, later uncovering a canvas of an anti-aircraft gun on a truck, OSCE said.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine was deployed in March following a request to the OSCE by the Ukrainian government. The monitors are to contribute to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security in Ukraine and on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
In September, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko officially authorized the OSCE mission to deploy drones to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire that was agreed by independence supporters and Kiev during the Contact Group meeting in Minsk on September 5.
The first two UAVs arrived in Ukraine on October 6. The first flight of OSCE drones was completed on October 23.
