From behind their computer screens, they're scrutinising each and every move made by the Russian army near the Ukrainian border. They are neither journalists nor intelligence officials – rather, they are everyday citizens who dedicate hours each day to tracking the movements of Russian troops. They even get hold of reliable information before the international media does.
Since spring 2021, Russia has been deploying troops near the border with Ukraine, in Russia and Belarus as well as in annexed Crimea. To keep track of the situation, some internet users, often anonymous, have been using tools and information freely available on the internet along with open source intelligence (OSINT). Whether by geolocating convoys, tracking military aircraft in real time over the Black Sea or the identifying the models of armoured vehicles, they use these online tools to publish their findings for free.
