As Ukrainian forces continue their advances into Russian territory, Russian authorities have issued a warning to residents in border regions and military personnel, urging them to refrain from using dating apps and limit social media activity to prevent Ukrainian intelligence from gathering sensitive information. The plea comes as Ukraine’s forces make significant progress in their surprise incursion into the Kursk region.
On Tuesday, Russia’s interior ministry issued an official statement directed at residents of the Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions, as well as military and police forces stationed in those areas, to stop using online dating services and be cautious when sharing videos or posts online. “The enemy actively uses such resources for information gathering,” the ministry warned via its Telegram channel.
As part of a broader set of security recommendations, authorities also urged people not to open hyperlinks from unknown senders and to avoid streaming videos from roads where military operations are taking place. A key concern is that Ukrainian forces have been reportedly connecting to unprotected CCTV cameras in the region, using them to monitor both private and strategically important areas like highways.
Threats Posed by Social Media and Apps
Russian troops and police were specifically advised to disable geo-tagging on their social media accounts, as Ukrainian forces are believed to be monitoring real-time data from posts to track the location of military and security personnel. The concern reflects a long-standing vulnerability where soldiers and civilians unknowingly share sensitive data through everyday mobile apps and social media platforms.
This is not a hypothetical threat. The security risks tied to social media and smartphone use in conflict zones have been well-documented. In a high-profile case last year, Russian submarine commander Stanislav Rzhitsky was shot while jogging, with reports suggesting he may have been tracked via the Strava fitness app, where he openly shared his running routes.
The situation in Kursk and other border regions, including Bryansk and Belgorod, has intensified in recent days. Ukrainian military officials claim their forces have advanced nearly 35 kilometers (22 miles) into Russian territory since the assault began, capturing 93 settlements. More than 121,000 residents of the Kursk region have already been evacuated, according to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Ukraine’s Cyber and Physical Advancements
Ukraine’s offensive in Russia has also targeted other strategic regions, such as Bryansk and Belgorod. The rapid incursion has raised significant concerns about how Russian troops and citizens might inadvertently compromise security through online activities.
The potential consequences of social media use by military personnel have been demonstrated before. On New Year’s Day in 2023, a Ukrainian strike in the city of Makiivka killed nearly 100 Russian soldiers. Russia’s defense ministry attributed the success of the strike to the widespread use of mobile phones by Russian troops, revealing their location to Ukrainian forces.
Recognizing these risks, the Russian government has moved to crack down on the use of smartphones by military personnel. Last month, Russian state media TASS reported that parliament proposed new legislation that would classify the use of internet-connected devices by soldiers as a “gross disciplinary offense,” punishable by imprisonment.
Global Concerns About Technology in Warfare
The issues raised by Russia’s current warnings are not limited to the conflict with Ukraine. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Defense banned the use of geolocation features for its military personnel after apps like Strava were found to inadvertently expose the locations of U.S. military bases worldwide through publicly shared fitness data.
As the situation on Russia’s western border remains volatile, authorities are taking every precaution to ensure that citizens and military personnel do not become unwitting sources of intelligence for Ukrainian forces. The call to limit online activity underscores the evolving nature of modern warfare, where digital footprints can be as dangerous as physical actions on the battlefield.
