Germany expresses concern over Ukraine’s use of combat drones in Donbas
Germany is concerned about the increase in the number of ceasefire violations in the Donbas, as well as the fact that all the sides use unmanned aerial vehicles, said the representative of the German Foreign Ministry Andrea Sasse, reports Ukrinform.
"Berlin is very concerned about the increase in the intensity of hostilities in the East of Ukraine, as well as the report of the General Staff of the Ukrainian army, according to which the Ukrainian Armed Forces in response to shelling and the death of one and the wounding of another soldier used a drone of the Bayraktar type," Sasse said.
She noted that in recent weeks, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission has documented an increase in ceasefire violations and the use of heavy weapons, which contradicts the Minsk agreements. Sasse also stressed that the Minsk agreements allow the use of drones exclusively by the OSCE mission.
Sasse called on the parties to de-escalate the situation and noted that recent developments show that a more constructive approach is needed in political negotiations. According to her, Germany, together with France, are working hard to organize a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Normandy Four. However, it is not yet possible to determine the date of this meeting.
As reported earlier, the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the first time used the Turkish Bayraktar drone in the Donbas and destroyed artillery positions of Russian militants who shelled the village of Granitne and destroyed the civilian houses. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed this information and stressed that Bayraktar did not cross the demarcation line.
The Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security said Ukraine used Bayraktar after diplomatic methods failed.
"According to the General Staff, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny gave the order only after diplomatic methods did not work: namely, the occupiers did not respond to the demand of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to stop shelling Ukrainian positions, as a result of which one Ukrainian soldier was killed. At the same time, MAM-C ammunition with the lowest power was used to suppress the enemy fire, so that the servicemen of the Russian occupation forces remained alive and could run away from the epicenter of destruction, " the report reads.