The Role of OSINT in Supporting Battlefield Forensic Investigations

<jats:p>Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has increasingly become a centrepiece of modern intelligence collection. The growing value of OSINT, specifically for conflict monitoring and the investigation of war crimes, has become most evident during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, opening avenues for further impact and analysis, including in support of battlefield forensic investigations. With particular reference to the ongoing human rights abuses in Ukraine, this publication will introduce, analyse, and highlight how OSINT can be a fundamental contributor to battlefield forensics in contemporary warfare by overcoming substantial existing limitations, such as the inability of investigators to access areas of active combat or of occupation, as well as the identification of perpetrators and the collection of digital evidence related to incidents. This methodology will be discussed at length, utilising the Russian military’s targeting of civilians in Kherson Oblast by unmanned aerial vehicles as a case study. This publication aims to contribute to the field of battlefield forensics by highlighting the efficacy of OSINT in monitoring attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in both extreme detail and in near real time, its impact on data collection, analysis, and archiving, and its ability to inform military personnel, government, and civil society organisations alike.</jats:p>