During the international OSINT hackathon organized by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, five teams were declared the winners. The awards were presented by GUR head Kyrylo Budanov with the participation of jury members. This was reported on the GUR website.
The winning teams included:
- C4ADS (USA);
- “Omega” (Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Ukraine);
- DeepStateUA (Ukraine);
- Eyes on Russia (Centre for Information Resilience, UK);
- OSINT for Ukraine (Netherlands).
“The international composition of the winners shows that the resistance to Russian aggression is a joint effort of the entire free world,” noted the GUR.
Participants presented analytical materials that are being prepared for integration into the War&Sanctions portal content. The intelligence agency explained that all submitted projects have practical significance for further information and sanction efforts against the Russian Federation.
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov thanked the team representatives and assured that the materials they prepared would be transformed into real actions against the enemy.
“In times of war, information is a weapon. You have proven that you can wield it at a high level. The data you have gathered and analyzed will be used to strengthen sanctions pressure on the aggressor. Thank you for your work—it brings us closer to victory,” said Kyrylo Budanov.
Background
Recall that in May 2025, the GUR organized an international hackathon for OSINT investigators from around the world. Participants prepared analytical materials for the existing sections of the War&Sanctions portal, proposed new thematic directions, and conducted investigations based on data. The works were evaluated and winners determined by representatives of the GUR, leaders of central executive authorities, and state institutions of Ukraine.
The GUR launched the War&Sanctions platform on June 1, 2024, as part of an information campaign against the enemy. Over the year of its operation, nine sections of content have been launched: from military components and logistics to information operations and cultural genocide mechanisms.
In December 2024, the GUR and the Centre for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council launched a new section titled “Kremlin Mouthpieces” on the War&Sanctions portal, listing Russian propagandists and media managers.
