OSCE SMM refuses to recognize explosion of its vehicle in Luhansk region as accident

17:37, 28.04.2017 1 min read

The explosion of an OSCE Special Monitoring Mission vehicle in the militant-held part of Luhansk region was not an accident, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said.

Six observers traveling via two armored vehicles were on their way back from a patrol mission in the morning of April 23; one of those vehicles hit a mine on the road it drove two hours earlier, Hug told a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

What happened was not an accident but the impact of a weapon, which was not supposed to be there, Hug said.

He blamed those who had promised not to lay mines for the incident. Parties to the Minsk process promised to clear mines and not to lay them again; the incident is being investigated, a number of organizations are looking into its details, and the OSCE SMM is conducting an internal assessment, Hug said.