A political decision to send unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to Ukraine on a truce-monitoring mission may be made by the OSCE Permanent Council but this will not happen in the near future, Russian Permanent Representative to the OSCE Andrei Kelin said.
“Coordination and approval procedures will be required. I do not know so far how this will be done in the end but there are two options – it can be a decision by the Contact Group [for Ukraine] or a decision by the OSCE Permanent Council. We are working on the Permanent Council’s option now,” he told on Oct. 28.
Kelin does not expect a decision will be made in the near future.
“Such deadlines have been set but they are unrealistic. Considering the current state of affairs, I think this cannot be done for now,” he said, answering a question on whether the decision to send the drones to Ukraine might be made within days.
Kelin said they would need a coordinated decision to hold a Permanent Council meeting. “We are in the process of coordination,” the diplomat said.
He added that the sending of drones to the truce zone in Ukraine was not a priority.
“I think this problem is not pressing. As long as shootouts continue and stability has yet to be attained, there will be fears that the drones may be shot down,” Kelin said.
The new drone mission will differ from the existent OSCE monitoring mission in Ukraine.
“The new mission will support [the existent OSCE monitoring team], it will be a new operation backing the monitoring mission but having different parameters,” Kelin said, noting that military specialists will operate the drones.
Speaking of technicalities of the allotment of drones to monitor the situation in Ukraine, Kelin said that the drones offered differed much in their features but Russian vehicles surpassed foreign analogues.
“Our offer is the best option, the best drones for this purpose, amongst what other countries are offering. The Russian drones are modern and well tested,” he said.
“I am glad that our industries can build such things,” Kelin added.
