MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. The Ukrainian delegation dodged the discussion and questions at a Contact Group meeting about the use of Bayraktar strike drones in Donbass, Russian Plenipotentiary Representative to the Contact Group Boris Gryzlov told reporters on Wednesday after a regular round of talks.
"One of the issues at the meeting of the Contact Group was the discussion of yesterday’s publications by Ukrainian service members about the combat use of Bayraktar UACV (unmanned aerial combat vehicle) in Donbass. During the discussion, Ukrainian representatives first tried to dodge questions, but then confirmed the use of UACVs in Donbass and the existence of a corresponding order from the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Closer to the end of the meeting, news came that Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrei Taran denied the combat use of Bayraktar UACV in the media. Donbass representatives’ insistent requests to clarify the situation and to clearly either confirm or deny the fact of the UACV use by Ukraine in breach of the Minsk agreements and the agreements on the additional ceasefire measures were ignored by the Ukrainian delegation," he said.
Moreover, Kiev is attempting to provoke Donbass to renewed hostilities, when opening fire, publishing contradictory statements in the media and violating troop deployments, Gryzlov stressed.
"The Ukrainian side shoulders all responsibility for escalation in Donbass. Ukraine is playing an extremely dangerous game. By simultaneously carrying out provocative shelling, publishing absolutely contradictory statements in the media, and violating troop deployments, Kiev is trying to provoke Donbass to resume fighting," he said.
The Bayraktar TB2 is a Turkish-made strike drone with a 150 km-range capability, an operating speed of 130 km/h and a 50 kg payload. It is furnished with an automatic take-off and landing system.
In 2019, Kiev purchased and tested Bayraktar drones that are intended to be furnished with MAM-L precision air bombs produced by the Turkish company Roketsan. According to unofficial data, the deal was worth $69 million.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Andrei Taran said on October 13 that the Turkish drone producer would build a maintenance and training center in Ukraine. On October 26, the Ukrainian armed forces’ General Staff confirmed that the military had used a Bayraktar drone in Donbass. Later, some Ukrainian media outlets reported that drones had not been used. The DPR foreign minister, Natalya Nikonorova, said that the republic was looking into the statement of the Ukrainian armed forces’ General Staff.