Spot Report by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine: Shots fired in direction of SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Orikhove-Donetske

This report is for the media and the general public.

At 12:45 on 26 March, an SMM patrol of four mission members in two armoured vehicles stopped 500m north-east of government-controlled Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk). At about 13:10, a couple minutes after launching a mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the SMM observed another UAV almost directly above the patrol’s position, approaching from the south-south-west at a height of approximately 100 metres. The UAV was slightly larger than the SMM UAV and darker in colour, with a larger wingspan and vertical wingtips. It sounded like it had an electric motor. The SMM immediately began the landing procedure for its own UAV. The other UAV flew over the SMM patrol’s position, circled three times – steadily gaining altitude – and then departed to the west.

Less than half a minute later, the SMM heard ten single shots of small-arms fire 200-300 metres west. The duration of the shooting was about 30 seconds. The SMM assessed that the shots were being fired in the direction of the SMM UAV, which was 200-300 metres west and at a height less than 100 metres. It landed normally, without any evident damage. At 13:22 the SMM departed the area. The SMM informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination about the incident and requested that it follow up.