Google Maps Removes Blurring For Russia's Military Sites

[packman]

Source: Moscow Times



Google Maps made Russia’s strategic facilities visible to users Monday, revealing the details of the country’s military infrastructure.

Searches on Google Maps showed newly accessible images of military bases, intercontinental ballistic missiles launch pads, naval facilities and key command posts all across Russia.

“Now everyone can see [Russian military infrastructure] with a resolution of about 0.5 meters per pixel,” tweeted the Ukrainian armed forces.

Some of the newly-available images include the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, a nuclear weapons store near Murmansk, submarines in the Far East peninsula of Kamchatka, and a military airbase in the Western city of Kursk, just 150 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border.

Read more: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/04/18/google-maps-removes-blurring-for-russias-military-sites-a77397

[pecosbob]

1. Hilarious

Heading over to check out Kaliningrad and take a look at all the rust.

[JohnSJ]

2. Sure looks like sitting ducks to me

[eggplant]

7. They aren't live images.

[paleotn]

16. Ships tied to the pier always are.

Google satellite views can be years to over a decade old.

[Frustratedlady]

3. Super! I hope we are able to see some of these positions, as well.

How about the Ukrainian sites? Be a good sport, Google, and blur their positions,

[lagomorph777]

4. Sweet!

I imagine some of their neighbors are already assessing whether now would be a good time to invade Russia.

[oldsoftie]

9. Now would be a good time for Georgia to try to take back THEIR land.

Many of the Russian forces in GA were moved to UKR.

[IronLionZion]

5. It would be a shame if something happened to it

Kursk air base is within striking distance for Ukraine.

[BobTheSubgenius]

11. "That's a nice military youse got there."

"Be a shame if something should happen to it."

I'm not sure if that's what your intent was, but your post sure put me in mind of that.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

17. I can almost hear...

...the T-1000: "Say... That's a nice bike..."

[BobTheSubgenius]

19. :D :D :D

[Warpy]

6. Won't make much difference, the DOD probably has better pictures

but it's another thing for Putin to be paranoid about.

[2naSalit]

8. +1

[jaxexpat]

10. Couple of subs, alongside each, other with their missile silo doors open.

64-34-30 N x 39-46-14 E

Remind me of basking seals. Others at dockside and perhaps some in the pens as well.

I don't see the predominance of rust that used to be the calling card of the Russian Navy. Maybe it's the light.

[Angleae]

12. Maybe it's just new paint.

aka lipstick on pig

[HighFired49]

13. I like the bright orange/red paint on the decks

Very pretty, shows up nicely in a sea of blue green Just sayin'.

[jaxexpat]

15. .......you're right........and when you're right........you know the rest.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love......................... and gaudy-seeking missiles!

So tired of color mistakes......so....damn......tired.



The neons..........the neons.

[AllyCat]

14. Yay!!

Now go get them!!

[paleotn]

18. Something Google did for Russia specifically?

Most of our bases, naval bases anyway, are clear in sat view on Google Maps. I know Groton and Norfolk are, two spots close to my heart. Plus, I can scan across the James River and see what was going on at Newport News Shipyard whenever the satellite took the snap. Of course, those sat photos are usually years old and not terribly useful intel wise.

[CloudWatcher]

20. Or ... maybe not

4:29 pm ET update: A Google spokesperson told Ars that the company hasn't changed anything with regard to blurring out sensitive sites in Russia, so perhaps none of us were looking closely until now.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/04/google-maps-stops-obscuring-russian-military-bases-in-satellite-images/

[TomWilm]

21. The blurring is only for the public anyway ...

... the big powers has their own satellites, and has much better images. And there are plenty of nerds out there, who can provide info from other satellites. Even in little Denmark military bases are blurred, though the images can easily be found by other means.

The blurring at Google and other sites actually does the opposite of hiding secret stuff, since the blurring also is exposing more unknown military sites!

[XacerbatedDem]

22. Maybe the blurring is from all the Russian gaslighting going on these days.