Google maps unveils sensitive Ukrainian military sites to public
Google Maps has updated its satellite images of Ukraine's territory, revealing the location of military facilities, reported Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation. Google uses images from the American company Maxar, whose main clients are U.S. intelligence agencies.
5:59 PM EST, November 4, 2024
"Imagine the situation: Google publishes updated images on the maps, showing the location of our military systems. We contact them to resolve this issue quickly, but it's the weekend for them. There's no time for this," stated Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, on his Telegram on Sunday.
According to him, Russia has already begun "actively disseminating" images from Google Maps. In particular, certain channels published screenshots of Ukrainian military facilities.
The satellite images showed various locations, including the Kyiv Zhuliany airport. Updated images (taken on September 28, 2023) revealed air defense systems, which sources suggest might be Patriot systems. As "Kommersant" reports, Google Earth also featured images of the Starokostyantyniv airport in the Khmelnytsky region, displaying planes and hangars.
Kovalenko mentioned that Google representatives contacted Ukrainian authorities and are addressing the situation. "In the future, we will also discuss how to quickly solve any issues," he said.
As "Kommersant" noted, Google uses images from the American space company Maxar, whose main clients include U.S. intelligence agencies—the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
