An explosion occurred near the patrol of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) at the ‘LPR’ checkpoint, and another patrol has heard a shot from small arms on the territory of the ‘LPR’.
The latest report by OSCE SMM posted on Saturday says on April 28, a patrol consisting of six members and two armored vehicles was positioned at an ‘LPR’-checkpoint approximately 1.5km south-west of ‘LPR’-controlled Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk), speaking with an armed ‘LPR’ member.
“At 12:17, the patrol members were proceeding to their vehicles to depart the area when the same ‘LPR’ member began waving his hand at the SMM, indicating that the patrol should depart quickly. At 12:20, from inside their vehicles, the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an airburst about 50-100m north-west,” the report reads.
At the same time, the SMM saw a cloud of black smoke rising above the mentioned location; no impact was observed from the distance.
The SMM could not assess the cause of the explosion. The SMM immediately left the area and returned safely to its base in ‘LPR’-controlled Kadiyivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk).
In addition, on April 28, a separate SMM patrol consisting of five members and two armored vehicles was positioned at an observation post about 50m west of an ‘LPR’ position located 1 km north-west of ‘LPR’-controlled Kruta Hora (16 km north-west of Luhansk). At about 10:35, while all SMM patrol members were outside of their vehicles, the patrol heard a shot of small-arms fire approximately 40-50 m south. The SMM could not determine the type of weapon or the direction in which it was fired. The SMM left the area immediately and returned safely to its base in Luhansk city.
In both cases, the SMM notified the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination and requested it to follow up.
The press center of the ATO headquarters regards such incidents as the continuation of provocations by militants towards the representatives of the OSCE SMM.
At the same time, the headquarters said that at the time indicated, the Ukrainian side observed the ceasefire.
