Ukraine Uses Dating Apps to Gather Intel on Russian Troops
Ukrainian Citizen Uses Dating Apps to Gather Intelligence on Russian Troops
The Ukrainian government relies on as much information as possible about Russian military movements, including data from citizens on a government portal and dating apps. One young woman, Katya, decided to help after Russian soldiers attacked and occupied her hometown in southern Ukraine and began to destroy, loot, and kill. She approached over 100 Russian soldiers via dating apps, posing as a Russian woman, and over time, engaged them in conversations to gain their trust and draw information from them.
Ukrainian Government Develops Software to Receive Citizen Intel
The Ukrainian government has developed software to evaluate and process the vast amount of information provided by thousands of Ukrainians, including photos and videos, about possible military targets. The software is integrated into the official government app, Diia, which has 19 million users and is intended to enable digital documentation for identification rather than physical documents.
Civilian Volunteers Take Risks to Aid Their Country
Journalists and civilians, such as Victoria, continue to gather and sort information from citizens on behalf of the Ukrainian government to help plan military operations. This information is vital for planning, as civilians provide data from occupied territories where Russian soldiers and mercenaries are known to be brutal. However, civilians brave danger by providing this information, as they do not know whom to trust, and collaboration with Russian forces brings severe consequences and torture to Ukrainians. Despite the risks, they feel it is their duty to help protect their country.
Fear of Entering the Frontline Drives Civilians to Provide Intelligence
In the village of Blahodatne, in the Cherson region, residents secretly provided information to the Ukrainian military during the occupation. They were afraid of being discovered but also afraid of being drawn into the frontline.
“At one point, we begged our people not to disclose the exact location of the Russians,” says village resident Ira. “Because we knew how close we were to their positions and we could be hit if our people attacked the Russians.”
Ira also believes that without such information, her village would still be under Russian occupation. And the day of liberation, she says, was her happiest day.
Necessary Deception
Katya hopes for a similar day of liberation for the entire Cherson region. Parts of it are still under Russian occupation, with many areas experiencing heavy shelling. Katya hopes to return to a peaceful home soon.
She does not know how many of the information she garnered led to direct attacks against the individuals she spoke to. But she has helped, and that is what matters to her. She did what she could to drive the intruders out of her home. Ukrainian civilians continue to risk their lives to defend their country and provide vital intelligence to their military.