SMM OSCE intends to use more drones, new technologies - Hug

16:35, 09.07.2015 1 min read

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), whose mandate has been extended until March 21, 2016, intends to use new technologies and drones to monitor territories beyond the control of the Ukrainian government, deputy head of the OSCE mission in Ukraine Alexander Hug has said.

"Our mandate has been extended until March 21, 2016. We will attract new observers. But we can not expand the geography of our presence, because we have limited access to areas beyond the control of the Ukrainian authorities. We intend to use the latest technology, to use drones as much as possible," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

Hug also reported an increase in the size of the mission.

"We've been joined by new observers. Now their number has reached 504, including the technical staff and 234 Ukrainian personnel, the total number of the missions has already exceeded 800 people," he said.