'LPR' militants blamed OSCE for patrol car incident

The militants claim that OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) patrol car, which tripped a mine in the Luhansk region, "deviated from the main route and drove side roads."

Censor.NET reports citing Radio Svoboda.

"We repeatedly drew the attention of the OSCE SMM to the observance of necessary security measures while monitoring the routes," the 'LPR' ('Luhansk People's Republic') militants claimed.

According to 'LPR' speakers, two OSCE SMM vehicles tripped an antitank mine in the vicinity of the village of Pryshyb following Slovianoserbsk-Sokolnyky route.

"A U.S. citizen was killed in the blast. German citizens were injured," the 'LPR' representatives told Lenta.ru.

According to the official version by the "LPR Ministry of State Security," the explosion of the OSCE patrol car was organized by a Ukrainian sabotage unit, RIA Novosti reports.

The OSCE SMM patrol was driving in the vicinity of the settlement of Pryshyb in the Luhansk region. The car drove a mine. One patrol member died and two others suffered injuries.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz‏ said that those responsible for the accident will be held accountable.

The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the crime must be investigated and the masterminds must be punished.