Spot Report by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine: Armed man opens fire near SMM in Kozatske

This report is for the media and the general public.

At 11:07 on 28 March, an SMM patrol composed of six members and two armoured vehicles approached a compound where the SMM had previously observed armed “DPR” members, at the eastern edge of “DPR”-controlled Kozatske (36km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 11 February 2017.)

When the SMM was about 100m from the compound, an armed “DPR” member a few metres away from the patrol gestured for the SMM vehicles to stop. The SMM stopped and saw eight other armed “DPR” members outside one of the buildings of the compound. Three of them walked towards the SMM. When 30-40m away, one of them angrily gestured for the SMM to leave. At the same time he fired three shots from his assault rifle (AK-47) into the air and then another six toward the ground, a few metres in front of him, while he was facing the direction of the SMM.

The SMM departed immediately and, while leaving, heard another four shots and one burst of small-arms fire. The SMM arrived to its base in Mariupol safely. The Mission informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination.