OSCE drone shot down in the Donbas
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), reports on their website, that an unmanned aerial vehicle that belonged to the monitoring mission was shot down in the area of Popasna village in the Donbas.
It is noted that the village is controlled by the Ukrainian government and is located 69 kilometers west of Luhansk. The mission team was using the drone to watch snow removal work on the T-0504 highway. At this time, the OSCE staff heard the sound of six shots. According to the organization, the shots were 1.5-2 km east of the mission location.
“According to the OSCE observers, the fire was directed at the UAV. The mini-UAV lost altitude and the mission patrol lost control over it. The observers were not able to retrieve it,” message reads.
On January 2nd, the OSCE also reported firing at their drone. The incident occurred near the Artyom village.
In November 2018, France and Germany accused Russia and the “separatists supported by it” of shooting down an OSCE monitoring mission drone. The mission staff lost communication with it on October 27th. According to the organization, it was shot down over the self-proclaimed LPR and DPR near the Russian-Ukrainian border.