In their November 13 daily report, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine described a significant increase in hostilities in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR), with hundreds of artillery shots fired through the night and early morning of November 11–12:

During the evening and night hours of 11–12 November, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 94 explosions (outgoing and impacts) assessed as artillery and multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) fire 5–10km west-north-west, 355 undetermined explosions assessed as artillery and MLRS fire, of which at least 16 were assessed as impacts, 26 outgoing rounds of 152mm artillery fire and respective impacts, and 25 were explosions of MLRS rounds, at distances 5–15km west-south-west, 180 explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds of unknown calibre, 150 outgoing explosions of artillery rounds of unknown calibre, 100 explosions (outgoing and impacts) assessed as artillery of unknown calibre, and 13 undetermined explosions all at distances ranging 5–20km north, west-south-west, west and west-north-west. On 13 November, while in Kadiivka, the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions approximately 10km west-south-west and south-west.

Clearly, there was shelling from both the Ukrainian and separatist forces overnight — as the OSCE observed sequential incoming and outgoing artillery fire. However, the OSCE is limited in only reporting its neutral observations, without assigning blame unless they directly, visually observe an incident. By looking at the available open source materials, what can we say were the actual results of these events observed by the OSCE, and how were they covered in Ukrainian and Russian/separatist media? We will compare the consequences of the overnight shelling in the Ukrainian-controlled town of Popasna and separatist-controlled town of Bryanka, where both sides caused significant damage. Furthermore, we will analyze how the media outlets of Ukraine and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic covered the events, and how the journalistic practices differ.

Separatist shelling of Ukrainian-controlled Popasna

Much of the Ukrainian media coverage of the overnight artillery fire of November 11 and 12 focused on damage to the town of Popasna (Popasnaya in Russian). This town is located about 20km west-northwest of the OSCE monitors, putting it well within range of the reported outgoing artillery fire reported in the November 13 daily report. Reports from local civilians on a Popasna Vkontakte community confirm heavy artillery fire that night, and resulting damage to a home on the outskirts of the town. Along with the severe damage to homes on the outskirts of Popasna, electricity lines were damaged. However, there were no reported casualties.

The most cited report in Ukrainian media appeared on the Facebook page and press center website for the Luhansk Oblast State Administration (Луганська обласна державна адміністрація). There are other types of coverage of the incident and surrounding events that have varying degrees of effectiveness and resonance, as seen in the following survey of various Ukrainian media outlets:

— Telekanal Donbas went to the scene of the damaged house and filmed a segment on location, interviewing locals.