Donetsk, Jan 14 - DAN. Ukrainian servicemen from 36th Marines Brigade opened fire at OSCE Special Monitoring Mission drones in the Shirokino and Talakovka villages area, the Donetsk People’s Republic militia reported on Thursday.

“Ukrainian gunmen in the responsibility zone of 36th Marines Brigade 501st battalion (southern axis - eds Donetsk News Agency) opened small arms fire at OSCE Mission unmanned aerial vehicles shooting down one UAV,” the DPR militia said.

According to the militia’s information, Ukraine had been notified about scheduled monitoring of the area on time. The destruction of an OSCE UAV is “another proof of planned provocation against the Mission’s aerial monitoring equipment,” it said.

On January 13, servicemen from the same brigade opened fire at another OSCE drone in the Kiev-controlled Talakovka village area outside Mariupol.  The order to fire was given by brigade commander Andrey Gnatov, the DPR militia said.

Earlier reports on Thursday said that an UAV had been shot at outside Yasinovataya. The DPR militia called the situation unacceptable and urged international monitors to carry out detailed probes into the above incidents.*jk