Open Source Information as a Window into the War in Ukraine

This article looks at the role of open source information from the initial Russian invasion in 2014, in the lead-up to the full-scale invasion in 2022 and since the beginning of the war. Open source information has shed light on Russia’s actions throughout the conflict, and evolving technologies have brought new tools and issues with them, such as the proliferation of drone footage. In the war’s social media environment, state and non-state entities are on an equal footing. Thus, the article also examines the role of non-state analysts in producing and making sense of the flow of information from the war in Ukraine. Non-state analysts can attain visibility that may even inform policymaking. However, there are also limits to what open sources can provide during war. Certain open source commercial services, such as different types of satellite imaging capabilities, may also be out of reach for independent non-state analysts.