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Hard, the life of a drone in eastern Ukraine

Image taken by an OSCE drone on January 14, 2015, showing the impact of a bomb crater in Volnovakha, which had hit a bus the day before (credit: OSCE)
Image taken by an OSCE drone on January 14, 2015, showing the impact of a bomb crater in Volnovakha, which had hit a bus the day before (credit: OSCE)

(B2) The OSCE is having a hard time imposing its drone flights in eastern Ukraine, which are essential for monitoring the ceasefire and the front line. Alternately, Ukrainians and Russians, regular and irregular forces, contrive to hinder the theft of these devices, unarmed but equipped with cameras, which is much more dangerous for the troublemakers who are thus often caught on the fact, various troop movements or bringing heavy weapons back to the front line...

B2 has counted in the last 30 days, 7 incidents hitting the "wings" of the OSCE. The routine according to what the head of the OSCE said during his visit to Brussels.

Le December 28, 2015, a mini-drone is reached by small arms fire in the area controlled by the separatists of the LPR (Luhansk Republic). The machine returns to its base, without damage. A " incomprehension according to Russian representative at the contact center who promises that this will not happen again...

“An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (mini-UAV) was caught in small-arms fire. In “LPR”-controlled Yurivka (26km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 20 single shots of small-arms fire and saw that an armed person – 800m south-west of its position – was firing an AK-47 at an SMM mini-UAV, which it was operating to observe a training ground. The SMM called the mini-UAV back and left the area immediately. The mini UAV did not sustain any damage. Subsequently, the SMM held a meeting with Ukrainian and Russian Federation representatives of the Joint Center for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), where it expressed its concern that the incident happened in spite of the fact that the flight had been notified beforehand with both the JCCC and “LPR” members. Russian Federation representatives of the JCCC stated that due to miscommunication, the “LPR” armed members on the ground had not received necessary information in advance. He added that “LPR” members controlling the area where the incident took place had apologized and given an assurance that such incident would not happen again. (excerpt from report 28.12.2015)

End December 2015, a separatist soldier of the LPR (Luhansk Republic) prohibits the takeoff of a drone, to finally authorize it, after having received an order from his superiors (the OSCE having joined the joint control and coordination center)

Armed “LPR” members delayed the SMM launching its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for 30 minutes near “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk). The “LPR” “commander” initially told the SMM that it could not fly the UAV over the area. The SMM was allowed to conduct the flight after the Joint Center for Control and Co-ordination intervened and the armed men received instructions from their superiors” (report extract 29.12.2015)

Back to back, January 2 and 3, OSCE drones fall victim to interference in Ukrainian government areas.

“SMM unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were subject to jamming on two occasions – on 2 January when flying near the landing site in government-controlled territory and also on 3 January near government-controlled Marinka (22km west of Donetsk city centre) and Maksymilyanivka (30km west of Donetsk city center). » (excerpt from report 4.1.2016)

Start January 2016, a Ukrainian officer prohibits the deployment of a drone for "security reasons".

« In government-controlled Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer did not allow the SMM to fly its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the area. He stated that he had been ordered to prevent the launching for security reasons”. (excerpt from report 5.1.2016)

Le 15th January 2016, a drone is hit by small arms fire above the republic of Luhansk, it manages to return to its base, but becomes inoperable...

An SMM UAV was hit by small-arms fire over “LPR”-controlled Stakhanov (49km west of Luhansk) as it attempted to observe a factory complex occupied by armed “LPR” members.* Although the UAV's observation capacity was lost, it was able to return to the take-off location. The UAV has been rendered inoperable due to the damage sustained. (excerpt from report 16.1.2016)

Le 29th January 2016, the flight of drones is restricted in the Donestsk Republic. The Russian contact officer warning that security cannot be assured beyond a certain area

“A “DPR” member in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka said that flights of the SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – in support of facilitating and monitoring adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works - would be restricted to a small area over the power line and pipeline works only. A Russian Federation Armed Forces officer from the Joint Center for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) agreed and claimed that if the UAV deviated from that small area, its safety could not be guaranteed. As a consequence, the UAV was not launched. (excerpt from report 30.1.2016)

Being a drone in eastern Ukraine is therefore not easy. To be continued...

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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