The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council reports that Google Maps has revealed positions of Ukrainian military systems through updated satellite imagery.
The exposure of military positions on publicly accessible maps could compromise Ukraine’s defense capabilities and provide strategic intelligence to Russian forces, raising significant national security concerns.
“Google is publishing updated maps that expose the placement of our military systems (I won’t specify which),” said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the CCD.
Ukrainian authorities have contacted Google’s office regarding this situation.
According to Kovalenko, Google representatives reached out to the Ukrainian side to resolve the issue regarding the military systems imagery.
In September, the CCD negotiated with Google representatives. Kovalenko said significant progress would be made in countering disinformation, which “many propagandists won’t like.”
Russia has confiscated over $100 million from Google for war propaganda in Ukraine, while Russian companies are demanding two undecillion rubles (a number with 36 zeros) from the tech giant, with this figure reportedly doubling weekly.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Saudi Arabia, said that the US military should replace tanks with AI-powered drones, citing that Russia’s war in Ukraine demonstrated how a “$5,000 drone could destroy a $5 million tank.
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