[ketralnis]

It feels very improbable that a government would be using google maps for this. It feels even more improbable that even if they are, removing a mark from google maps would prevent them from launching an actual air strike. Surely a target important enough to "mark" would be worth finding an alternative way to target in case a bunch of keyboard warriors figure out your nefarious plan.

None of this makes sense.

I know it feels good to feel like you're helping but I think you're being trolled by assholes on the internet.

[dmw_ng]

The invasion was so urgently cobbled together that many Russian forces were using amateur radios to communicate, they had no support infrastructure in place, or even fuel for the vehicles containing that infrastructure. Numerous soldiers were captured carrying off the shelf radios (literally think eBay), and there are various reports they rely on the mobile phone network to coordinate with central command. There was allegedly also a recent misappropriation scandal where cheap Chinese communications gear was purchased and relabelled before being sold to the Russian military, suggesting they might not even have real equipment to give to their troops.

Separately, having coordination done via "www.google.com" DNS & SSL ClientHello makes it all but impossible to block without disconnecting the Internet for the entire country, at a time when access to information within the country is more essential than ever.

Everything about this sadly makes sense

[benatkin]

> Everything about this sadly makes sense

Especially Google not keeping their word. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30524898 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30525030

[dmw_ng]

HTTPS everywhere very much cuts both ways. We love improvements like encrypted SNI because we think it only means the evil dictator's middlebox won't function any more, when in reality it also enables shit like this.

On the whole though, I think HTTPS everywhere was still a net improvement, and we should probably be thanking Google for pushing it.

[benatkin]

Fair enough, I don't know what the situation is, or even if that promise to BuzzFeed is accurate.

[invalidname]

As far as I understand the Russian equipment is awful and unmaintained. As a result soldiers in the field just use cell phones and Google Maps to coordinate. Yes they have the original military equipment as the source of the commands but it's much easier to communicate via cell phones.

If you know Russians this makes 100% perfect sense...

The solution isn't to remove it. Just move the locations slightly to an empty field nearby.

[Piskvorrr]

Given the accuracy of the Russian artillery and rockets seen so far, "move it slightly" is a no-op.

[invalidname]

Slightly is subjective. It can be 10 miles or more. But if you remove it they will notice...

I worked for a company that worked with maps and our local authorities came over and asked us to move the locations of the bases just a bit. We did that. The logic is that they already know the base is there. Just move it a bit and if it looks close enough they will get small things wrong. If it's too much they won't make the mistake of relying on the bad information.

[mellavora]

I read something about a 40 mile long logistics convoy.... might be more interesting to put markers on that road than on an empty field.

[onion2k]

It feels very improbable that a government would be using google maps for this.

Does it? My 'knowledge' of war comes from movies, TV and video games, which is obviously nonsense. I know that. I know that my belief that military tech is a bit like the things you see in Call of Duty or a Marvel blockbuster is wrong, and that it's all special effects and creative license to make things look 'cool'. Learning that soldiers on the ground in an active warzone pull out a phone and use Google Maps wouldn't actually surprise me at all. They're cheap, reliable, and understood by everyone. The only reason I can think of not to use it is because Google can be forced to block your access. Maybe they don't care about that?

[ajuc]

It's army that was told they are doing exercises and then sent to invade Ukraine instead. Regular soldiers and low-level officers weren't expecting this. They lack modern digital communication and use open analog channels for talking. Many of them were abandoning armored vehicles cause they ran out of fuel in the middle of nowhere and the logistic failed.

There's a lot of weird stuff happening, I find this plausible enough.

[eitland]

Yesterday someone who had been right about other things told me on Twitter that Russia has been running their communication in cleartext at least until recently.

I don't listen in to Ukrainian radio so I cannot verify but I am sure someone here knows more if they want to tell. It seems at this point it is already a very open secret.

[forum_ghost]

until recently?

they suddenly found 100,000+ digital radios?

[garblegarble]

There's been an increase in coded messages, e.g. "1st I'm 28th, 118 0130 63115 50 2183 50 2937"

[wzyoi]

There was a youtube channel with Ukrainian’s forces movement. I wish I could easily find it but don’t believe it’s still up.

It looked Something like this:

“MORNING IN KHARKIV 25/02”

Footage of armed vehicles moving on the city streets

1.2 million views