“Don’t try to be the first. Try to be right,” Tal says. And don’t underestimate your own influence. “Each post, each like, each share — that’s power. Use it with care.”

“You’re never the first to tell a story,” she says. “Local journalists, activists, and civil society groups have been navigating these stories long before you arrived. Collaborate.”

Eman explained how visual evidence must be treated with caution—especially when releasing it could expose individuals. “Sometimes, the footage is so unique that it can be traced back to the person who took it.”

From tracing war crimes to unravelling propaganda, OSINT for Ukraine stands as proof that open-source intelligence, when used ethically and persistently, can illuminate even the darkest of wars.