Google revealed the location of Ukrainian military sites in its latest Maps update, with the tech giant scrambling to remove the pictures, a Kyiv official said Sunday.
Moscow has already started “actively distributing” the sensitive images, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the disinformation-countering branch of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said in a post on Telegram.
“Imagine the situation. Google displays updated images on the maps showing the location of our military systems,” Kovalenko said. “What is wrong with this world?”
Google Maps is a navigation tool and provides users with satellite imagery, aerial pictures and panoramic street photos.
Kovalenko did not specify which of Ukraine’s military sites were exposed by Google. He added in a follow-up post on Telegram that representatives for the tech giant had contacted Kyiv after a public outcry and said they were “working on correcting the situation.”
Google scaled down its activities in Russia after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, though its services, including Google Maps, remain available in the country. Its Russian website reportedly shows Crimea, the Ukrainian territory that Moscow invaded and annexed in 2014, as part of Russia.
A Google spokesperson said: “Google Maps, like other mapping applications, uses satellite imagery that comes from a range of providers, including public, government, and commercial sources. We can confirm that we’re in touch with Ukrainian officials to review requests in accordance with our global policies and local law.”
Source: Politico
