Questions raised over Moscow’s role in Ukraine over soldier’s selfie
Ukrainian army servicemen guard a checkpoint outside the eastern Ukrainian village of Nikishyne, Donetsk region August 1, 2014. — Reuters picMOSCOW, Aug 2 — Photos taken by a Russian soldier have sparked controversy after it was revealed they may have been taken in Ukraine, despite Moscow’s denials that its troops have intervened in the conflict across the border.
Alexander Sotkin, a 24-year-old Russian soldier and regular user of the photo-sharing app Instagram, recently uploaded a series of ‘selfie’ images of himself in uniform.
While the content of the photographs gives little away, the app’s geolocation data showed that a number of the pictures were taken in Ukraine.
Images shared on Instagram can be “geotagged”—which means the location of where the picture was taken is published along with the photograph.
A series of earlier images show Sotkin’s location to be the village of Voloshino in southern Russia, where his unit appears to be based.
But two pictures posted on July 5 and 6 are geotagged 10km away, across the border in Ukraine.
First reported by the US news site BuzzFeed, the two selfies could represent proof the Russian army has crossed the border into Ukraine despite denials by the Kremlin.
While it is possible to falsify the geolocation of photos posted online, it requires a particularly advanced knowledge of coding, a computer expert told AFP.
The Russian Defence Ministry has refused to comment on the reports.
BuzzFeed said other Russian soldiers have published photographs of their activities on the Russian social network Vkontakte without geolocation data but with captions suggesting that Russia has fired artillery into Ukraine, as Kyiv and Washington allege.
Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko (centre) speaks to protesters during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters walk among burnt-out vehicles during clashes with Ukranian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European protester throws a missile during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European protesters gather around burning vehicles and wave flags during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester waves a flag during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters walk among burnt out vehicles and water during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Ukrainian riot police reacts after being hit by a petrol bomb during clashes with pro-European integration protesters in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Opposition leader Arseny Yatsenyuk (centre) visits the site of clashes between pro-European integration protesters and Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters take cover behind shields during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A protester aims a catapult at Ukrainian riot police during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Protesters surround a police bus during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Protesters clash with Ukrainian riot police during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Ukrainian riot police take cover behind their shields in front of a burnt bus during a rally near government administration buildings in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester sits in a burnt police bus after a rally near government administration buildings in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester stands with a national flag on a barricade during a rally in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters carry Molotov cocktails during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester aims his pneumatic gun towards riot police during clashes in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters walk through a cloud of tear gas during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
People take pictures next to a police truck burnt during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester uses a slingshot during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester uses a slingshot during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters prepare Molotov cocktails during a rally near government administration buildings in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand at a barricade, as temperatures stand at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) near Independence Square inKyiv, January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
Women appeal to Ukrainian police troops not to shoot at their children, at the site of clashes with anti-government protesters in Kyiv, January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
A cross erected by mothers of anti-government protesters is seen in front of a police cordon near a barricade in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters rest around a fire at a barricade in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Father Valery holds an icon as he walks through the barricades of anti-government protesters in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand on barricades at the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Volunteers carry sandwiches to distribute among anti-government protesters near a barricade at the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
An anti-government protester with his face covered with soot is seen at a barricade in Kyiv, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Volunteers distribute borshch (Ukrainian national soup) to anti-government protesters near a barricade at the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A masked man plays the grand piano to an audience of anti-government protesters in the Kyiv City Hall, occupied by opposition forces, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protester Anna paints a hardhat at the Kyiv City Hall, which has been occupied by opposition forces, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Tents of anti-government protesters are pictured at Independence Square in central Kyiv February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters hold a rally in Independence Square in central Kyiv, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters attend a rally in Independence Square in central Kyiv, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters gather on a barricade near the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand guard at their barricades in Kyiv February 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand in front of a banner with a portrait of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in central Kyiv February 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
People hold portraits of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko and shout slogans during an anti-government rally in Kyiv February 9, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man stands with a Ukrainian flag during an anti-government rally in Kyiv February 9, 2014. — Reuters pic
A musician plays the piano at the barricades in Kyiv February 10, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand at the barricades in Kyiv February 10, 2014. — Reuters pic
“We pounded Ukraine all night,” wrote solder Vadim Grigoriyev on July 23 under a photo showing two artillery pieces in a wheat field with open shell boxes nearby.
Grigoriyev then appeared on a state TV channel where he denied posting them.
“They were photos taken a long time ago. Most likely my Vkontakte page was hacked,” Grigoriyev said on Rossiya24.
“Grads toward Ukraine,” wrote another soldier, Mikhail Chugunov, alongside two photos of a rocket launcher on Vkontakte.
UN officials have called for a halt of using the unguided missiles near populated areas.
‘Show off to girlfriends’
Russian MPs, meanwhile, have called for a halt to soldiers using social networking sites to share information of potential value to its foes.
“These soldiers will reveal anything—that they are in Ukraine, for example—just to show off to their girlfriends,” Russian MP Vadim Soloviev told AFP.
Soloviev, who recently proposed a bill aimed at limiting Internet use by Russian soldiers, believes that over-sharing is a “threat to Russia,” and that information “can be used by Westerners for espionage or disinformation”.
“Soldiers should be subject to rules of confidentiality – and if they violate that, they should answer to the disciplinary board,” the MP said.
Military expert Alexandre Golts, deputy editor of Russian website, told AFP it was “difficult to understand how this law could be applied,” adding it would be more effective to forbid soldiers from using the Internet entirely.
“We understand why this law is needed,” Golts said. “After all, it is thanks to photos posted by soldiers that the world knew that Russian special forces were present in Crimea.”
Mysterious men in green fatigues, devoid of any distinctive insignia, appeared on the Ukrainian peninsula in early March, a few days before it was annexed by Russia.
Those photos prompted Soloviev, by his own admission, to push forward with the bill.
“It is exactly this scenario that Russia wants to avoid,” said Golts. — AFP
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