The German army is assessing whether to provide drones for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor the fragile cease-fire in Eastern Ukraine, the German defence ministry said Tuesday. The German Defence Ministry has sent a team to southeastern Ukraine. France is also considering sending UAS.
The ministry announced its readiness to fulfill the OSCE’s request in an official statement published on Bundeswehr’s (Germany’s armed forces) website.
On Tuesday, a team of 14 UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) experts from Germany arrived to Ukraine, along with French colleagues. They are examining the area near an uncontested site near the rebel-held city of Lugansk.
Over the next three to five days, logistical, technical, and medical staff will analyze the conditions and determine whether Germany – and possibly France – will be able to deliver drones to the region.
“Based on the results of the reconnaissance mission it will then be considered whether and in what form Germany and France could participate in a support mission for the OSCE, subject to political support,” the German military said.
If a green light is given for deployment, Germany will send Luna reconnaissance drones. The drones are capable of flying at an altitude of up to 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) for six hours. They are only 2.36 meters (7.74 feet) long and weigh 40 kilograms (88 pounds), and can deliver video and still images to a ground station in real time.
Photo: German soldiers stand behind an unmanned Luna -Reuters
Sources: Wall Street Journal; RT