maximedwards

maximedwards, 30 days ago to Georgia

Bidzina "used the opportunity to set the tone for a new foreign policy in which Georgians’ pro-Western choice has been conditional on the West’s willingness to accept his growing authoritarianism." #Georgia

https://oc-media.org/opinions/editorial-georgias-ruling-oligarch-unhinged/

maximedwards, 1 month ago to Ukraine

Since February 2022 grain exports from occupied Crimea have skyrocketed; it's widely assumed this is coming from newly occupied territories of #ukraine. A 'shadow fleet' exports it to Russia's partners around the world.

Despite attempts to hide, open source information can still reveal a great deal about these voyages.

In this case, we tracked two large cargo ships — new additions to the 'ghost fleet' — from Sevastopol to #Iran at every step of the way.

#osint

https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/04/23/from-crimea-to-iran-two-more-ships-join-russias-grain-smuggling-fleet/

maximedwards, 5 months ago to OSINT

Excellent #OSINT-driven report from Haaretz about IDF influence operations designed to manipulate and inflame Israeli public opinion. #Gaza https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2023-12-12/ty-article/.premium/graphic-videos-and-incitement-how-the-idf-is-misleading-israelis-on-telegram/0000018c-5ab5-df2f-adac-febd01c30000

maximedwards, 5 months ago to random

Well, this is damning. Also furthers concerns about the use of AI in Israel's targeting of Gaza, and advances yet more evidence that whatever Hasbara talking points insist, mass collateral damage of civilians is actually baked into the logic of Israel's assault on #Gaza.

https://www.972mag.com/mass-assassination-factory-israel-calculated-bombing-gaza/

maximedwards, 5 months ago to random

ah German digitisation, where you ask for a password reset and get the reset code sent by post
🤡🇩🇪🤡

maximedwards, 6 months ago to Israel

i recommend journos to play around with this tool; distressing and useful in equal measure #gaza #israel #osint https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2023/11/15/a-new-tool-allows-researchers-to-track-damage-in-gaza/?

fulelo, 6 months ago to random

Quick note to say I have spent a whole year now on mastodon, having loads of rewarding conversations with so many lovely and interesting people. Thanks for reading ❤️

maximedwards, 6 months ago to Israel

The BBC looks into the background of the antisemitic mob which gathered in Dagestan recently, delving into the Morning Dagestan Telegram channel and others which first spread misinformation about the flight from Tel Aviv. #Israel #Russia https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67269477

maximedwards, 7 months ago to Israel

Misleading imagery is coming from #Israel and #Palestine at a shocking rate. A lesson here is that successful mis- (or dis-) information doesn't need sophisticated AI or image editing techniques. Some of the most impactful cases are simply old videos spun anew, or videos from afar said to show something they don't with brazen confidence.

Here are some of the most egregious examples we've found - shared among others by several TV stations and an IDF spokesman.

https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/10/11/hamas-attacks-israel-bombs-gaza-and-misinformation-surges-online/

maximedwards, 8 months ago to random

Our latest, on Armenians’ exodus from #Karabakh as seen through open sources https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/09/28/azerbaijan-consolidates-control-armenians-flee-nagorno-karabakh/

maximedwards, 8 months ago to Russia

Thoughtful piece here on Russian exiles in Europe and the unrealistic expectations of how 'emigre dissidents' can prompt political change in Moscow. #migration #russia https://ecfr.eu/article/caution-and-embrace-how-europeans-should-treat-exiles-from-putins-russia/

maximedwards, 8 months ago to random

Good summary of the situation in #Karabakh (such as we know it) here: https://www.politico.eu/article/nagorno-karabakh-armenia-azerbaijan-war-inside/

maximedwards, 8 months ago to Armenia

Excellent podcast by the excellent OC Media team asking (and offering good answers) to burning questions on Karabakh — will Armenians be offered any autonomy? Will they be compelled to flee to Armenia? And what does Azerbaijani society make of this? #Karabakh #Azerbaijan #Armenia https://oc-media.org/podcasts/podcast-the-end-of-nagorno-karabakh/

maximedwards, 8 months ago to random

Our latest, showing open source clues about the consequences of Azerbaijan's latest attack on Nagorno-#Karabakh. Due to internet and electricity blackouts there are slim pickings, but we can see some indications that large numbers of local Armenians are fleeing their homes.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/09/21/chaos-and-crisis-as-azerbaijan-attacks-nagorno-karabakh/

maximedwards, 8 months ago to random

There are very few things sadder online right now than Ukrainian FB comments about #Karabakh Armenians getting what they deserve.

maximedwards, 8 months ago to random

If you also feel that Armenians are exaggerating the possibility of ethnic cleansing should Azerbaijani forces seize #Karabakh, recall that after the 2020 war the state postal service released a stamp showing a pest control worker ‘disinfecting’ Karabakh in a map of Azerbaijan. This language is completely normalised in Azerbaijan’s state media and officialdom.

maximedwards, 8 months ago to Armenia

Useful explainer on #Armenia’s pro-Western signalling in recent weeks (discussion of ratifying Rome statute, First Lady meeting Zelensky, military exercises with the US). Some worry it’s demonstrative and lacks a clear strategy. https://www.rferl.org/amp/armenia-pashinian-united-states-west-relations-russia-analysis/32591327.html

maximedwards, 9 months ago to Russia

You've read of #Russia's new history textbook with its alternate history of #Ukraine and justifications for the invasion. But as the school year starts in September, note that Russian officials also boast that schools in occupied areas offer Ukrainian.

Why?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/08/russia-releases-history-schoolbook-praising-ukraine-invasion

maximedwards, 9 months ago to Russia

a good article on Russia's increasingly constrained information space and why that makes establishing much on murky developments there quite difficult - even via open sources.

the ease with which we've taken Russian state lines on this at face value sits a little uncomfortably with me, even if it seems they're right that Prigozhin has been killed.

#russia #osint

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/plane-crash-yevgeny-prigozhin-russia

maximedwards, 9 months ago to twitter

“Twitter allows journalists to be lazy. And very productively lazy… The right wing ecosystem has figured this out and understands #Twitter as the best place for manipulating journalists. Journalists, meanwhile, have not quit their Twitter habit.” — excellent interview with Ethan Zuckerman on Twitter and the future of a digital public space (or rather the costs of the illusion that we could have a single one): https://www.wired.com/story/have-a-nice-future-podcast-8/

maximedwards, 9 months ago to Armenia

A grim outlook, certainly by 2025 when Russia's peacekeeping mandate ends. Meanwhile Azerbaijan dismisses all concerns for Karabakh Armenian autonomy and wellbeing as internal issues.

The confusion of victory and justice. A common enough problem. #Armenia #Azerbaijan

https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/08/09/in-the-beginning-was-the-violence/

maximedwards, 9 months ago to random

Curious about this: are there any journos on Mastodon who toot live from the field? We’ve a lot of discussion about journalism here, a lot of sharing good journalism, but less activity in the moment. As I reflected on earlier, this could be a good thing, but its absence probably says something about how reporters see Fedi.