Google Maps Recorded Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Before It Officially Began

Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began yesterday was captured by Google Maps. Spotted by Jeffrey Lewis, an open-source intelligence expert at 3:15 AM local time, the traffic jam at Belgorod in Russia gave it away.

The expert, who's also a professor at Middlebury Institute Tweeted - "someone's on the move" when he spotted a build up of traffic near Ukraine's border with Russia.

AP

According @googlemaps, there is a "traffic jam" at 3:15 in the morning on the road from Belgorod, Russia to the Ukrainian border. It starts *exactly* where we saw a Russian formation of armor and IFV/APCs show up yesterday.
Someone's on the move. pic.twitter.com/BYyc5YZsWL

¡ª Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) February 24, 2022

First signs of invasion

In conversation with Vice, Lewis said that they "were the first people to see the invasion" and that too on a traffic app. While Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the "special military operation" in Donbas, a region in Eastern Ukraine, the traffic jam was seen from an entirely different region.

To clear up a misconception: The traffic data is most likely NOT from soldiers carrying smartphones. Instead, civilians are probably getting stuck at roadblocks and @googlemaps is recording that.

¡ª Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) February 24, 2022

Also read: Russia's 'Mobile Crematoriums' Reportedly Deployed In Ukraine To Hide Losses

The jam extended to the border, after which it disappeared. However, it wasn't as simple as simply logging onto Google Maps. Instead, Lewis used optical and radar satellite imagery taken days before. For instance, an image taken by Capella Space on Tuesday showed Russian build up at the border.

Reuters

Google Maps' live traffic data comes from location and speed information sourced from Android phones. No, this doesn't mean that the soldiers left their smartphones on, but implies that civilians were stuck in jams because of Russia's military build up.

The "traffic jam" now stretches to the border with Ukraine. @madwonk and @triciawh1te have been sitting here watching creep down the road. pic.twitter.com/lYkNNz2p2x

¡ª Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) February 24, 2022

Also read: Putin's Ukraine War Declaration Filmed In Advance? Video Metadata Says Yes

"I think big data companies often don¡¯t want to face squarely how useful their data can be," Lewis told Vice. What do you think about Russia's unprovoked invasion on Ukraine? Let us know in the comments below.

The only reason we were looking at the traffic near Belgorod is because yesterday @capellaspace captured a SAR image of a newly arrived Russian unit with tanks and other vehicles. What struck us about this image is that the vehicles were lined up in columns, ready to move. pic.twitter.com/bZii0CZcaN

¡ª Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) February 24, 2022

For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Gordon, A. (2022, February 24). Google Maps Live Traffic Showed the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Vice.