Spot report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), 19 November 2014

Military personnel shoot in the direction of an OSCE convoy near government-controlled Mariinka (15km W of Donetsk).

12:38hrs, an OSCE convoy composed of two vehicles was travelling east from Kurakhovo (30km W of Donetsk) towards the city of Donetsk.

Near the area of Mariinka, about 80m ahead of the convoy, there was a flat-bed cargo truck carrying a large green wooden box, with two uniformed personnel on board wearing helmets. The SMM observed tactical marks of two white vertical lines on the tail-gate of the vehicle and on the passenger door.

One of the soldiers stood up and fired two shots in the direction of the OSCE convoy. The bullets struck about 2m from the second OSCE vehicle. The SMM staff travelling in this vehicle heard sharp sounds originating from road or bullet fragments impacting on their car. Due to security concerns, the SMM left the area immediately.