At the international open-source intelligence (OSINT) hackathon organized by the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, five teams were declared winners. The awards were presented by GUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov in the presence of the competition's jury. This was reported on the official 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 indicates that the fight against Russian aggression is a common cause for the entire free world,” noted the GUR officials.
The participants presented analytical materials that are being prepared for integration into the War&Sanctions portal. Intelligence officials explained that all submitted projects have practical significance for future informational and sanction measures against the Russian Federation.
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov thanked the team representatives and assured them 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 collected and analyzed will be utilized to reinforce sanctions against the aggressor. Thank you for your work—it brings us closer to victory,” said Kyrylo Budanov.
Background
It is worth noting that in May 2025, GUR organized an international hackathon for OSINT investigators from around the globe. Participants prepared analytical materials for existing sections of the War&Sanctions portal, proposed new thematic directions, and conducted investigations based on data. The evaluations and winners were determined by representatives of GUR, leaders of central executive authorities, and state agencies of Ukraine.
GUR launched the War&Sanctions platform on June 1, 2024, as a component of information influence against the enemy. Within a year of its operation, nine content sections have already been established, covering topics from military logistics to information operations and cultural genocide mechanisms.
In December 2024, GUR and the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council launched a new section titled “Kremlin Mouthpieces” on the War&Sanctions portal, listing Russian propagandists and media managers.
