Spot Report 35/2020: SMM cameras damaged at the Oktiabr mine near non-government-controlled Vesele

At 19:10 on 30 June, the SMM lost video feeds from its two daylight cameras, located on top of one of two 50m concrete towers at the Oktiabr mine, about 1km east of the contact line, in a non-government-controlled area, about 1km south-west of Vesele (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk).

Footage from both cameras showed an impact of an undetermined weapon occurring in the immediate vicinity of the cameras at 19:08 on 30 June. At the time of the impact, one camera was facing north, and the other camera was facing north-east.

On 1 July, an SMM patrol dispatched to assess saw that the base of the 4m camera mast on top of the concrete roof of the tower remained standing, while its upper portion, with the two cameras still attached to it, was detached, and standing in an upright position next to it. The Mission saw that a third portion of the mast was lying on the ground, about 4m north-east of the base.

The SMM patrol also noted that sections of two camera power cables and one of the camera domes (with shrapnel marks on it) were lying on the ground about 2m north-east, and 4m north-north-east, respectively of the base portion. The SMM saw that the second camera had no visible signs of damage.

The SMM assessed the damage to the mast, cables and camera dome as caused by the detonation of an undetermined projectile fired from a south-westerly direction in the immediate proximity of the camera site.

During its presence in the area, the SMM patrol heard two undetermined explosions at an assessed distance of 3km west.

The SMM will continue to follow up on this incident.