OSCE SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicles resume monitoring of security situation in eastern Ukraine

KYIV, 28 March 2018 - The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) today re-introduced the use of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which will operate over Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The OSCE SMM uses UAVs and other technical means to overcome impediments imposed by the sides to its monitoring of the security situation in eastern Ukraine.

“The use of technology such as long-range UAVs allows the SMM to monitor the situation more closely, in particular in areas that are difficult to reach by ground patrols or where our monitors are restricted, threatened or at risk,” said Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug at the launch event today. “Given that the Minsk agreements envisage the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and other technology by the OSCE SMM, we expect the sides, as signatories to these agreements, to not interfere, by jamming, shooting or otherwise, with the operation of these UAVs.” Information from the UAV observations will be included in the Mission’s daily reports available for the general public on the OSCE website.

The long-range Camcopter S-100 UAVs are provided, flown and maintained by an external vendor under a service contract to the OSCE. The asset remains under the SMM’s full operational control and the data collected is the property of the OSCE and for its use only.

With a range of over 160 kilometres, the SMM’s long-range UAVs will operate over Donetsk and Luhansk regions equally on both sides of the contact line, including at night when mobile ground patrolling is restricted due to security-related considerations.