OSINT, ADS-B and AIS Glossary — Terms from the War Map
Definitions of the terms OSINT, ADS-B, AIS, MLAT, GEOINT, IMINT, SIGINT, MANPADS, S-400, Patriot, HIMARS, ATACMS, Storm Shadow, Shahed and FPV drones, as well as conflict actors (DPR, LPR, IDF, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, RSF, SAF, SDF, PKK, Tatmadaw, PDF, NATO). Each entry contains a definition, context and links to the battlemap.online platform.
OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence)EN
Data collected from publicly available sources to be processed and analyzed into actionable intelligence.
OSINT is the practice of using information that is accessible to the public, such as news articles, social media posts, government reports, and commercial satellite imagery. It is a cornerstone of modern journalism, research, and citizen-led investigations, allowing for independent verification of events without classified access. For conflict monitoring, it's invaluable for tracking troop movements, identifying equipment, and corroborating claims. battlemap.online is fundamentally an OSINT platform, aggregating and visualizing publicly sourced data like flight logs, geolocated media, and maritime signals to create a comprehensive operational picture for our users.
GEOINT (Geospatial Intelligence)EN
Geospatial intelligence; the analysis of imagery and geographic data to describe, assess and visualize physical features and activities on Earth.
GEOINT combines imagery analysis (IMINT) with geospatial data such as maps, terrain data and elevation information. It is essential for military planning, damage assessment and the verification of events, for example the positions of troops. Analysing satellite imagery makes it possible to identify new fortifications or track the effects of attacks. At battlemap.online we rely heavily on GEOINT principles, using satellite maps as a base layer and overlaying geolocated events on them to give users a spatial understanding of a conflict.
SIGINT (Signals Intelligence)EN
Signals intelligence; the process of obtaining information by intercepting and analysing electronic signals and communications.
SIGINT is divided into two main branches: COMINT (communications intelligence) and ELINT (electronic intelligence). It allows intelligence agencies to monitor enemy communications and to locate radars or weapon systems that emit signals. Although battlemap.online does not run its own SIGINT, we visualize its public traces. For example, when reconnaissance aircraft (known for SIGINT missions) appear over the Black Sea on public trackers, their routes provide valuable clues about areas of intelligence interest, which we show on our map.
IMINT (Imagery Intelligence)EN
Intelligence derived from the analysis of imagery and photography, primarily from satellite and aerial platforms.
IMINT is the 'eyes in the sky' of intelligence. By analyzing high-resolution satellite photos or images from drones, analysts can identify military hardware, assess battlefield damage, monitor construction at sensitive sites, or verify troop positions. Publicly available commercial satellite imagery from companies like Maxar or Planet Labs has democratized this capability. battlemap.online integrates IMINT by presenting geolocated satellite photos of key events, allowing users to see for themselves the evidence of an attack or the location of a specific military unit.
FININT (Financial Intelligence)EN
Financial intelligence; the gathering of information about the financial affairs of entities in order to understand their nature and capabilities.
FININT is used to trace money flows in order to identify terrorist financing, sanctions evasion, money laundering or corruption. In the context of conflicts, financial data analysis can reveal supply networks for armed groups or the ways in which states circumvent international restrictions. Although battlemap.online does not directly engage in financial analysis, we provide context for events that may result from actions uncovered by FININT, such as the interception of illegal arms shipments paid for from hidden sources.
SOCMINT (Social Media Intelligence)EN
Social media intelligence; a subcategory of OSINT focused on collecting and analysing data from social media platforms.
SOCMINT involves monitoring services such as Twitter/X, Telegram, Facebook or TikTok to gather information in real time. Photos and videos posted by soldiers or civilians can be geolocated, providing evidence of troop presence or of the use of specific equipment. This is extremely valuable, but it requires careful verification. battlemap.online actively uses verified social media reports, marking confirmed geolocations on the map, which makes it possible to follow developments almost live.
ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast)EN
A surveillance technology enabling aircraft to broadcast their identity, position, altitude, and velocity, derived from onboard systems like GPS.
ADS-B is the backbone of modern air traffic tracking, replacing traditional radar in many areas. Because the data is unencrypted and publicly broadcast, anyone with a simple receiver can track flights. This is critical for OSINT analysts monitoring military transport planes, reconnaissance aircraft, or government VIP jets. On battlemap.online, we integrate and visualize live ADS-B feeds, allowing users to see these flights of interest on the map, providing context for troop movements, surveillance missions, or diplomatic activity.
MLAT (Multilateration)EN
A method of determining the position of an aircraft by measuring the time difference of arrival of a signal at multiple ground-based receivers.
MLAT is used to track aircraft that are not equipped with ADS-B but have an older Mode-S transponder. By triangulating the transponder's signals, a network of receivers can calculate its position. This is vital for monitoring older military aircraft or planes that may have their ADS-B transmitters turned off for operational security. battlemap.online uses data from MLAT tracking to supplement its ADS-B feeds, ensuring a more complete picture of the airspace over conflict zones and areas of interest.
ACARS (Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System)EN
A digital communication system between an aircraft and a ground station, used to send short messages such as flight data or technical status.
ACARS is a kind of 'text messaging for aircraft', operating over VHF radio or satellites. Although most messages are routine, they can contain valuable OSINT information such as flight plan changes, cargo data or technical problems. Intercepting and decoding these messages is a more advanced form of OSINT. On battlemap.online we track aircraft whose missions can be better understood by analysts with access to ACARS data, thereby providing visual context for deeper analysis.
Mode-SEN
An aviation transponder interrogation mode that allows for selective addressing, providing more detailed information than older modes.
Mode-S transponders broadcast a unique 24-bit ICAO aircraft address, which helps identify a specific aircraft frame. While it doesn't broadcast position like ADS-B, its signals are the basis for MLAT tracking. In conflict analysis, knowing the unique address of an aircraft allows analysts to track its history, ownership, and past movements, even if its callsign changes. battlemap.online utilizes the ICAO address from Mode-S data to ensure consistent tracking of individual aircraft across different flights and missions.
AIS (Automatic Identification System)EN
A maritime tracking system that automatically broadcasts a vessel's identity, position, course, and speed to other ships and shore stations.
AIS is the maritime equivalent of ADS-B, designed to prevent collisions and improve vessel traffic services. It is mandatory for large commercial ships but also used by smaller vessels. For OSINT, AIS is crucial for monitoring naval movements, tracking cargo ships suspected of sanctions-busting, or observing patterns of 'dark' activity where ships turn off their transponders. battlemap.online integrates AIS data to display naval and commercial shipping traffic, particularly in strategic chokepoints and conflict zones.
InmarsatEN
A global satellite operator providing mobile communication services, including voice, data and distress signals for ships, aircraft and remote locations.
Inmarsat systems are essential for communication where ground infrastructure is unavailable, for example at sea or in conflict zones. They provide connectivity for aircraft (including via ACARS) and seagoing vessels. In the context of OSINT, the activity of Inmarsat terminals can indicate the presence of important vessels or personnel. battlemap.online does not directly track Inmarsat signals, but it visualizes assets (for example reconnaissance aircraft) that rely on this technology to transmit intelligence data in real time from their patrol areas.
IridiumEN
A constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) providing global coverage for satellite telephony, data transmission and IoT services.
Unlike Inmarsat's geostationary satellites, the Iridium constellation offers lower latency and truly global coverage, including the polar regions. It is widely used by the military, journalists and field personnel for secure communication. Tracking Iridium devices is difficult, but knowing they are in use in a given region can indicate special operations or intelligence activity. battlemap.online maps conflict zones where satellite communication such as Iridium is often the only reliable means of contact.
Fighter (fighter aircraft)EN
A military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat against other aircraft.
Modern fighters, such as the F-16, Su-35, or Eurofighter Typhoon, are multirole platforms capable of both air superiority missions and ground-attack roles. Tracking their activity is essential for understanding air campaigns, defensive patrols, and the overall balance of power in a conflict. While fighters rarely broadcast public tracking signals like ADS-B during combat missions, their support aircraft (tankers, AWACS) often do. battlemap.online visualizes these support flights, providing indirect but valuable clues about ongoing fighter operations.
DroneEN
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), remotely piloted or autonomous, used for reconnaissance, combat or logistics.
Drones have revolutionized the modern battlefield. From small commercial quadcopters used to drop grenades to large combat drones such as the Bayraktar TB2 or the Shahed-136, they have become a ubiquitous tool. They are used for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, direct attacks and psychological warfare. battlemap.online extensively documents drone use, marking verified attacks, shoot-downs and launch locations on the map, which lets users understand the scale and tactics of drone warfare in a given conflict.
UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)EN
An aircraft without a human pilot aboard, controlled either autonomously by onboard computers or by a remote operator. The formal term for a drone.
UAV is the official military and aviation term for what is commonly called a drone. This category includes everything from small, hand-launched reconnaissance vehicles to large, high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) platforms like the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Their roles are diverse: intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, and kinetic strikes. battlemap.online often displays the flight paths of large reconnaissance UAVs that broadcast public signals, showing users in real-time which areas are being monitored from the sky.
MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defense System)EN
A shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile, typically guided by infrared homing, designed to be portable and used against low-flying aircraft.
MANPADS like the Stinger (USA), Igla (Russia), or Piorun (Poland) pose a significant threat to helicopters and low-flying jets. Their proliferation can effectively deny airspace to an adversary, making them a crucial element of asymmetric warfare. Their small size and portability make them difficult to track before they are used. battlemap.online documents confirmed uses and seizures of MANPADS, as their presence in a conflict zone dramatically changes the risk calculation for all air operations, which we help users visualize.
S-400EN
A Russian long-range mobile surface-to-air missile system designed to engage aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.
The S-400 'Triumf' is one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world, capable of engaging targets at distances of up to 400 km. Its deployment creates a so-called anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) bubble, significantly limiting the operational freedom of an adversary's air force. The location of S-400 batteries is information of enormous strategic importance. battlemap.online marks confirmed or suspected S-400 locations on the map, along with documented attacks on them, which makes it possible to assess the state of air defence in a region.
PatriotEN
An American mobile surface-to-air missile system capable of engaging aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
The MIM-104 Patriot system is the backbone of air and missile defence for many NATO states. Its effectiveness at intercepting ballistic missiles makes it a key asset in defending cities and critical infrastructure. Like the S-400, the deployment of Patriot batteries is of great strategic importance. On battlemap.online we track reports of Patriot deliveries and deployments and mark verified interceptions made by these systems on the map, illustrating their role in airspace defence.
HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System)EN
A U.S.-made truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher that can fire a variety of guided munitions with high precision over long distances.
HIMARS has become a game-changer in modern conflicts due to its mobility, range, and accuracy, allowing forces to strike high-value targets like command posts, ammunition depots, and logistics hubs deep behind enemy lines. Its effectiveness relies on accurate, real-time intelligence for targeting. battlemap.online plays a role in this ecosystem by visualizing the aftermath of HIMARS strikes, mapping geolocated impacts to help users understand the system's operational priorities and its effect on the battlefield.
AIS Class A / Class BEN
Two types of AIS transponders. Class A is a mandatory, high-power system for large commercial vessels, while Class B is a lower-cost, lower-power system for smaller craft.
Class A transponders broadcast more frequently and with higher priority, providing detailed data like destination and cargo type. Class B is simpler, intended for recreational boats and smaller commercial vessels. In OSINT, knowing the difference is key. A military vessel using a Class B signal might be trying to appear as a smaller, less significant ship. battlemap.online visualizes data from both classes, but our analytical tools allow users to filter by class to better distinguish between major maritime traffic and smaller craft.
MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity)EN
A unique nine-digit identification number assigned to a ship radio station, used by AIS and digital selective calling (DSC) systems.
An MMSI number is like a telephone number for a ship. It is programmed into the AIS transponder and allows a vessel to be unambiguously identified in radio transmissions. Unlike the IMO number, the MMSI can be changed, which is sometimes exploited to falsify a ship's identity (so-called 'spoofing'). battlemap.online uses the MMSI as the primary identifier for tracking ships on the map, while correlating it with other data (IMO number, name) to detect potential anomalies and attempts at identity falsification.
IMO NumberEN
A unique seven-digit ship identification number assigned by the International Maritime Organization, which stays with the vessel for its entire life.
The IMO (International Maritime Organization) number is permanently assigned to a ship's hull and does not change, even if the ship changes its name, flag or owner. It is the most important, immutable identifier in the shipping world, essential for tracing a vessel's history and ownership. In OSINT analysis it is indispensable for reliably identifying ships, especially those suspected of illegal activity. battlemap.online gives priority to the IMO number, using it to build a permanent profile for each tracked vessel.
GeoJSONEN
An open standard format for encoding geographic data structures, using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON).
GeoJSON is used to represent geographic features like points, lines, and polygons, along with their non-spatial attributes. It's a lightweight, human-readable format that is universally understood by web mapping libraries. This makes it perfect for exchanging mapping data. battlemap.online heavily uses GeoJSON to define and render key map features. Frontline polygons, strike locations, and unit positions are all stored and processed as GeoJSON data before being displayed to the user on our interactive maps.
Vector TileEN
A packet of geospatial data, containing geometry and metadata, clipped to a square map area and optimized for fast rendering in browsers.
Instead of sending the entire map as one large file, vector tiles divide it into a small grid-like mosaic. The browser downloads only the tiles that are currently visible on screen, which dramatically speeds up loading and enables smooth zooming. The visual style of the map is applied on the client side. battlemap.online uses vector tile technology to serve our base maps and dynamic data layers. This ensures high performance and a responsive interface, even with large amounts of information.
OSM (OpenStreetMap)EN
A free, editable map of the world, created and maintained by a global community of volunteers.
Often called the 'Wikipedia of maps,' OSM provides a wealth of detailed geographic data, from roads and buildings to rivers and forests. Its open-data model makes it an invaluable resource for countless applications, including humanitarian aid, urban planning, and navigation. battlemap.online uses OpenStreetMap as one of its primary base map layers, providing users with a rich, detailed, and constantly updated geographical context for the conflict data we display.
IsochroneEN
A line on a map connecting points that can be reached within a given time from a given starting point.
Isochrone maps visualize travel reach. Instead of showing distance in kilometres, they show the area that can be reached in, say, 30 minutes of driving. In military analysis, isochrones can be used to assess the operational range of units, the response time of rapid reaction forces, or to estimate how quickly artillery can reach a new position. battlemap.online can use isochrone analysis to build analytical layers, for example showing the potential strike range of a unit within the next hour.
Frontline PolygonEN
An area on a digital map that visually represents the current course of the front line or the zones controlled by the parties to a conflict.
This is a fundamental tool for visualizing the territorial situation. Polygons are created and updated on the basis of verified reports, GEOINT analysis and geolocated footage. They allow an immediate assessment of who controls a given area, where fighting is taking place and where recent changes have occurred. For battlemap.online, frontline polygons are a key feature. We use them to show zones of control, contested areas and recent advances, which helps users grasp the state of the battlefield at a glance.
ORDLOEN
An acronym for 'Certain Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts' (Ukrainian: ORDLO), the Ukrainian legal term for the territories occupied by Russia before 2022.
The term was used in official Ukrainian documents, including the Minsk Agreements, to describe the territories controlled by the self-proclaimed 'people's republics' (the DPR and LPR). It emphasized that Ukraine regards these areas as a temporarily occupied part of its sovereign territory. When mapping the conflict in Ukraine, battlemap.online uses this term in a historical context, to precisely describe the status of these territories before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, which is key to understanding how the conflict has evolved.
DPR (Donetsk People's Republic)EN
A Russian-backed separatist entity that declared independence from Ukraine in 2014 on the territory of Donetsk Oblast.
The DPR (Polish: DRL) was one of two quasi-states in the Donbas region that waged war against Ukraine from 2014. It was not recognized by most of the international community and was fully dependent on Russia's military, financial and political support. In September 2022 it was illegally annexed by the Russian Federation. battlemap.online marks the historical territories controlled by the DPR to give users the full geographic and political context of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict from its beginnings.
LPR (Luhansk People's Republic)EN
A Russian-backed separatist entity that declared independence from Ukraine in 2014 on the territory of Luhansk Oblast.
Like the DPR, the LPR (Polish: ŁRL) was a quasi-state in the Donbas, dependent on Russia. Together with the DPR it formed the area covered by the term ORDLO. Its armed forces, integrated with Russian ones, took part in fighting against Ukraine from 2014. In September 2022 it too was illegally annexed by Russia. battlemap.online visualizes the historical and current lines of control on the territory of the former LPR, which is essential for tracking progress and changes on the eastern front.
IDF (Israel Defense Forces)EN
The combined military forces of the State of Israel, consisting of the ground forces, air force, and navy.
The IDF is responsible for the defense and security of Israel. It is frequently involved in operations in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and along the borders with Lebanon and Syria. Its activities, including airstrikes, ground incursions, and defensive actions like missile interceptions, are a central focus of conflict monitoring in the Middle East. battlemap.online provides detailed, geolocated data on IDF operations and related events, offering a neutral, fact-based overview of the security situation in the region.
HamasEN
A Palestinian Sunni-Islamist fundamentalist organization, which governs the Gaza Strip. It has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, Hamas is a key actor in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its activities include governing Gaza, social services, and military attacks against Israel, such as rocket fire and cross-border raids. Understanding the group's actions and Israel's responses is critical to following the conflict. battlemap.online maps events related to Hamas, including rocket launches, attacks, and Israeli counter-operations, providing a spatial context for the ongoing hostilities.
HouthisEN
A Shia Islamist political and military organization that controls a significant part of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
The Houthi movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, is the main party in the Yemeni civil war. Since 2023 it has gained international attention because of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, carried out in solidarity with the Palestinians. These attacks, conducted with drones and missiles, have disrupted global trade. battlemap.online actively monitors and maps these incidents in the Red Sea and the related military actions, such as coalition strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
RSF (Rapid Support Forces)EN
A Sudanese paramilitary armed organization that has been fighting a civil war against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since 2023.
The RSF evolved out of the Janjaweed militias and became a powerful force in Sudan. The conflict between the RSF and the regular army has led to a humanitarian catastrophe and to fighting for control of the capital, Khartoum, and other key regions such as Darfur. Analysing this conflict requires tracking territorial changes and attacks on civilians. battlemap.online maps the conflict, marking zones of control, key battles and documented incidents, to help make sense of the complex situation in Sudan.
SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces)EN
An alliance of militias in Syria, dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), backed by the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS).
The SDF played a key role in defeating IS's territorial 'caliphate' in Syria. They now control a significant part of north-eastern Syria, forming the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. They find themselves in a complex geopolitical situation, balancing between their alliance with the US, the hostility of Turkey and the Assad regime. battlemap.online monitors SDF activity, Turkish operations against them and the possible resurgence of IS in the territories they control, providing insight into this complicated theatre of operations.
ISW (Institute for the Study of War)EN
An American non-profit think tank that conducts research and analysis on wars, defence policy and international affairs.
ISW is known for publishing detailed daily reports and situation maps on conflicts, especially the war in Ukraine. Its analyses, based on OSINT methodology, focus on assessing the military campaigns, strategies and objectives of the parties to a conflict. They are widely cited by the media and by analysts in the field of strategic studies. This glossary entry is informational, to help orient readers in the landscape of public OSINT sources.
BellingcatEN
An independent international collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists specializing in fact-checking and OSINT-based investigations.
Bellingcat is a pioneer in using publicly available data to carry out groundbreaking investigations, from identifying those responsible for the downing of flight MH17 to exposing covert intelligence operations. Its methodical work has demonstrated the power of OSINT in getting to the truth. Although battlemap.online focuses on current monitoring rather than long-term investigations, we apply the same principles of rigorous verification and geolocation that Bellingcat popularized, ensuring the credibility of our data.
Shahed Drones (Geran-2)EN
Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munitions, produced under licence in Russia as the Geran-2 and used en masse to strike Ukraine's civilian and energy infrastructure.
The Shahed-136 is a cheap, single-use drone with a range of about 1,800 km, powered by a petrol engine and fitted with a 30-50 kg warhead. Its characteristic triangular delta wing and loud engine (hence the Ukrainian nickname 'mopeds') make it easy to identify. Since autumn 2022 Russia has used Gerans in night raids on energy and residential targets, forcing Ukrainian air defences to expend expensive anti-aircraft missiles. battlemap.online maps both launch points and confirmed strikes and shoot-down sites, which makes it possible to track the scale of the drone campaign and the effectiveness of the defence.
FPV Drones (First-Person View)EN
Small commercial quadcopter drones flown live from the camera's perspective, modified to serve as loitering munitions with a shaped-charge or high-explosive fragmentation warhead.
FPV drones have revolutionized the modern battlefield, becoming an economical substitute for precision artillery munitions. The operator wears goggles showing the camera feed, which lets them fly a machine armed with an RPG-7 warhead straight through a tank hatch or a building window. A single drone costs USD 300-800, yet it destroys targets worth millions of dollars. Both sides of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict produce FPVs at a scale of thousands per month, creating a new kind of manoeuvre warfare. battlemap.online documents verified FPV strikes visible in social media footage, helping to understand the geography of this new form of combat.
LancetEN
A Russian loitering munition of the Izdeliye-51 and Izdeliye-52 family made by ZALA Aero, used for precision strikes on military targets behind the front line.
The Lancet, popularly called the 'Russian Switchblade', has a range of up to 40-70 km and a 3-5 kg warhead. Unlike the Shahed drones that attack civilian targets, the Lancet focuses on precisely destroying Ukrainian artillery, tanks, air defence systems and radars. Its characteristic X-wing design allows it to be steered right up to the moment of impact. The effectiveness of Lancets has increased significantly since 2023 thanks to integration with Russian reconnaissance assets. battlemap.online tracks the documented losses inflicted by Lancets, marking hit locations and the types of equipment destroyed.
Storm Shadow / SCALP-EGEN
A British-French long-range air-launched cruise missile, supplied to Ukraine in 2023 for strikes on targets behind the front line.
Storm Shadow (the British name) and SCALP-EG (the French one) are the same MBDA missile, with a range of about 250 km in the export version and 560 km in the home-country version. Fitted with a 450 kg BROACH penetrating warhead, it is effective against bunkers, bridges and command centres. Ukraine launches them from Su-24M aircraft modified for Western weapons, striking targets in occupied Crimea and the Donbas. battlemap.online maps documented Storm Shadow/SCALP strikes, recording their impact on Russian logistics, command and the Black Sea Fleet.
ATACMSEN
The American MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System, a short-range tactical ballistic missile launched from HIMARS and M270 launchers, with a range of up to 300 km.
ATACMS is a quasi-ballistic missile fired from the same launchers as GMLRS rockets, but with a much longer range: the Block 1A version reaches 300 km. It can carry a cluster warhead or a unitary warhead of about 230 kg. The versions supplied to Ukraine allowed the first mass strikes deep inside Russian-controlled territory, including helicopter bases and airfields in Crimea. Flight at altitudes above 50 km makes interception difficult for most air defence systems. battlemap.online documents publicly confirmed ATACMS strikes and the response of Russian air defence, including S-400 interception attempts.
Bayraktar TB2EN
A Turkish medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle made by Baykar Tech, famed for its effectiveness in the Nagorno-Karabakh war and in the first phase of the war in Ukraine.
The TB2 has a wingspan of 12 m, an endurance of up to 27 hours and can carry up to four MAM-L or MAM-C missiles. The drone became an icon of asymmetric warfare after Azerbaijan's successes against Armenian OT-90 systems and thanks to Ukrainian operations against Russian armoured columns in spring 2022. Over time, the development of Russian air defences significantly reduced its effectiveness on the Ukrainian front. Exported to more than 30 countries, it is also used by Poland. battlemap.online monitors the presence of the TB2 in conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia to Syria, showing the geographic reach of Turkey's export combat platform.
FAB / KAB (Glide Bombs)EN
Soviet and Russian FAB-type air bombs (high-explosive bombs) modified with the UMPK or UMPB kit into guided glide bombs with a range of up to 70 km.
Classic FAB-250, FAB-500 and FAB-1500 bombs are a cheap Soviet-era arsenal of which Russia holds tens of thousands. Once fitted with wings and simple GLONASS/inertial guidance (the UMPK kit) or the more advanced UMPB, they become glide bombs, dropped by Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft from beyond the range of Ukrainian short-range air defence. Their mass use since 2023 has devastated Ukrainian frontline towns such as Avdiivka and Vuhledar. battlemap.online marks glide bomb strikes as a separate category, because of their different tactical implications compared with rockets or tube artillery.
IRIS-T SLMEN
A German ground-based medium-range air defence system made by Diehl Defence, using IRIS-T air-to-air missiles in a ground-launched version.
The IRIS-T SLM (Surface-Launched Medium-range) has a range of up to 40 km and a ceiling of up to 20 km, effectively engaging aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and drones. Germany delivered the first batteries to Ukraine in 2022, where the system achieved an exceptionally high interception rate (about 100% claimed for some targets). Complementing the American Patriot (long range), the IRIS-T forms a medium-range layer protecting Ukrainian cities from Russian Iskander missiles and Shaheds. battlemap.online documents the deployment of IRIS-T batteries and marks verified interceptions in the defence of cities such as Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)EN
A political and military defensive alliance of 32 states in North America and Europe, based on the principle of collective defence set out in Article 5 of the 1949 Washington Treaty.
NATO was founded as the West's response to Soviet expansion after the Second World War. The key Article 5 states that an attack on one member state is treated as an attack on the entire alliance. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland and Sweden abandoned decades of neutrality, joining in 2023 and 2024 respectively. NATO's eastern flank (including Poland) has been significantly reinforced through the deployment of multinational battlegroups. battlemap.online tracks NATO exercises, violations of member states' airspace and equipment movements along the eastern flank, offering geopolitical context for ongoing conflicts.
BrigadeEN
A tactical military unit usually numbering 3,000-5,000 soldiers, made up of several battalions and support units, commanded by a colonel or a brigadier general.
The brigade is the basic manoeuvre unit of many modern armies; unlike the traditional division (10,000-20,000 soldiers), it is smaller, more mobile and self-sufficient. The Armed Forces of Ukraine fight mainly in a brigade structure (for example the 47th Mechanized Brigade or the 80th Air Assault Brigade), while the Russian army, in the course of the war in Ukraine, has returned to forming larger divisions alongside existing brigades. Full combat readiness of a brigade requires months of training and billions spent on equipment. battlemap.online uses unit numbers in event descriptions, helping to identify who is fighting for specific sectors of the front and with what intensity.
GeolocationEN
An OSINT technique of establishing the exact geographic position of an event, object or person on the basis of clues visible in footage, photos or publications.
Geolocation is the foundation of modern investigative journalism and conflict monitoring. An analyst compares elements visible in a recording, such as a building's silhouette, the shape of a road, an unusual billboard or the position of the sun, with satellite maps (Google Earth, Sentinel-2, Bing Maps) or Street View. In this way an undated video can be assigned to a specific intersection in Bakhmut or a bridge in Kakhovka. The Bellingcat methodology, documented in hundreds of investigations, has formalized this process. battlemap.online places on the map only events with successful geolocation, so every marker corresponds to a verified coordinate rather than a loose place name.
Bab al-MandabEN
A strategic maritime strait between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
The strait is only about 30 km wide at its narrowest point, yet about 12% of world maritime trade passes through it, including a significant share of oil shipments from the Middle East to Europe. Since November 2023 Yemen's Houthis have been conducting a campaign of missile and drone attacks here on commercial ships linked to Israel, the US or the United Kingdom, in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. In response, the Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition patrols the waters, and the US and the UK carry out strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. battlemap.online maps Houthi attacks in Bab al-Mandab and the related Western retaliatory operations, showing the impact of the conflict on global supply chains.
Strait of HormuzEN
A narrow strait linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, controlled by Iran and Oman, through which about 20% of the world's oil exports pass.
The Strait of Hormuz is about 33 km wide at its narrowest point and is the most important chokepoint of the world energy market. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close it in response to sanctions or escalation in the region, which could in theory cause oil prices to jump by 30-50%. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) regularly detains Western tankers here, and in 2019 and 2023 it seized ships sailing under the British or Israeli flag. The region is under intensive AIS monitoring. battlemap.online tracks incidents in Hormuz and correlates them with the movements of the US Fifth Fleet and the situation surrounding the Israeli-Iranian rivalry.
Grain Corridor (Black Sea Grain Initiative)EN
An agreement concluded in July 2022 under the auspices of the UN and Turkey, enabling the safe export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea during the Russian naval blockade.
The initiative allowed merchant ships to sail from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi under the supervision of the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul. By July 2023, when Russia withdrew from the agreement, about 33 million tonnes of grain had been shipped, easing the food crisis in Africa and Asia. After Russia's withdrawal, Ukraine established a unilateral corridor along the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, defended by attacks on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including with Storm Shadow missiles and naval drones. battlemap.online monitors the movements of merchant ships and incidents in the grain corridor, combining AIS data with reports of missile attacks on port infrastructure.
PKK (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê)EN
The Kurdistan Workers' Party, a Kurdish political and armed organization that has fought the Turkish state since 1984 for autonomy and the cultural rights of the Kurdish population.
The PKK was founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan and is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU, though not by the UN. The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives, mainly in south-eastern Turkey and in the Qandil Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, where the PKK's main bases are located. The Turkish army regularly conducts cross-border operations (the Claw operations, Claw-Eagle), using Bayraktar TB2 drones and F-16 aircraft. battlemap.online tracks Turkish strikes on PKK positions in northern Iraq and Syria, as well as incidents involving the affiliated SDF, documenting the complex geography of the Kurdish-Turkish conflict.
SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces)EN
The Sudanese Armed Forces, the regular army of Sudan under the command of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, fighting the paramilitary RSF in a civil war since April 2023.
The SAF control the eastern regions of the country, including Port Sudan (the temporary capital), and a significant part of the lower Nile. The army has traditionally relied on support from Egypt and Iran, using MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft and Turkish Bayraktar TB2s to strike RSF positions. The war with the RSF has led to the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe, with more than 10 million internally displaced people and a hunger crisis classified as IPC-5 in some parts of Darfur. battlemap.online maps the SAF's fighting against the RSF, showing territorial changes around Khartoum, Omdurman and El Fasher, the key battlegrounds of the conflict.
HezbollahEN
A Lebanese Shia political and armed organization founded in 1982, backed by Iran and Syria, with its own military wing and representation in the Lebanese parliament.
Hezbollah has an arsenal estimated at 130,000-150,000 rockets and artillery projectiles, which makes it the most heavily armed non-state actor in the world. After Hamas's attacks of 7 October 2023, the organization opened a second front against Israel in southern Lebanon, engaging in almost daily exchanges of fire. In 2024 Israel carried out a wide-ranging operation, including the attacks on pager communication devices and the killing of leader Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah's stronghold is the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. battlemap.online documents the exchange of fire on the Israeli-Lebanese border, Israeli air raids on Hezbollah targets and the flow of weapons from Iran through Syria.
TatmadawEN
The armed forces of Myanmar (Burma), which after the coup in February 2021 overthrew the democratic government and established a military junta under General Min Aung Hlaing.
The Tatmadaw has ruled Myanmar almost continuously since 1962, controlling key sectors of the economy through the conglomerates MEHL and MEC. After the 2021 coup the junta faced a wide-ranging rebellion: the People's Defence Force (PDF) arose, allied with ethnic minority organizations (KIA, KNLA, AA) that control a significant part of the border areas. Operation 1027 in October 2023 inflicted the most serious territorial losses on the Tatmadaw in decades. The junta responds with mass air raids and artillery shelling of the civilian population. battlemap.online maps the conflict in Myanmar, tracking key battles in Rakhine, Shan and Kayah states and in the Sagaing region.
PDF (People's Defence Force, Myanmar)EN
The People's Defence Force, the armed wing of Myanmar's opposition National Unity Government (NUG), fighting the Tatmadaw junta since 2021 in alliance with ethnic armed organizations.
The PDF arose spontaneously after the brutal suppression of peaceful protests against the 2021 coup. Thousands of young Burmese, including doctors, students and teachers, organized themselves into hundreds of local battalions. The PDF initially waged guerrilla warfare, using improvised weapons and commercial drones converted into bombers, but over time became a disciplined force, coordinating operations with the Three Brotherhood Alliance (MNDAA, TNLA, AA) and other ethnic armed organizations. Operation 1027 showed their growing capabilities. battlemap.online tracks PDF offensives, including the fighting for the towns of Lashio and Pa-an and areas of the Sagaing region, documenting territorial changes in a long-running conflict.
Shahed Drones (Geran-2)EN
Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munitions, license-produced in Russia as Geran-2, used in mass strikes against Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure.
The Shahed-136 is a low-cost, single-use drone with a range of roughly 1,800 km, powered by a piston engine and carrying a 30-50 kg warhead. Its distinctive delta-wing shape and loud engine, earning it the Ukrainian nickname 'mopeds', make it easy to identify by sound alone. Since autumn 2022, Russia has used Gerans in nightly waves targeting Ukrainian power plants, substations and residential blocks, forcing defenders to expend expensive surface-to-air missiles on a $20,000 airframe. battlemap.online maps both confirmed launches from sites in Krasnodar Krai and Bryansk and verified impacts and shoot-downs across Ukraine, helping users follow the scale of the campaign and the effectiveness of layered air defence.
FPV Drone (First-Person View)EN
A small commercial quadcopter flown live through the operator's goggles and modified into a one-way attack munition by attaching a shaped-charge or fragmentation warhead.
FPV drones have transformed modern battlefields by acting as a cheap, scalable substitute for guided artillery. The pilot wears goggles streaming live video from the airframe's camera, allowing them to fly the drone through tank hatches, building windows or trench openings at speeds above 100 km/h. Each unit costs $300-$800 and can destroy targets worth millions. Both Ukraine and Russia now produce tens of thousands of FPV airframes per month, supported by volunteer networks and state contracts. battlemap.online documents verified FPV strikes drawn from geolocated combat footage shared by public OSINT communities, giving users a geographic view of this new attritional warfare layer.
HIMARS (M142 Rocket Artillery)EN
A U.S.-made truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher firing GPS-guided rockets and tactical ballistic missiles at ranges from 70 km out to 300 km depending on munition.
The M142 HIMARS pairs the chassis of a 5-ton truck with a six-round launcher pod, giving forces shoot-and-scoot precision fires deep behind enemy lines. Standard GMLRS rockets reach roughly 70 km with a 90 kg warhead, while ATACMS missiles fired from the same launcher extend that envelope to 300 km. Since arriving in Ukraine in 2022, HIMARS has reshaped operational logistics by destroying ammunition depots, command posts and pontoon bridges. battlemap.online visualises the geolocated aftermath of HIMARS strikes, helping readers see how rocket artillery is reshaping the operational depth of the front.
ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System)EN
A U.S. short-range tactical ballistic missile (MGM-140) fired from HIMARS and M270 launchers, with ranges up to 300 km in the Block 1A variant.
ATACMS shares its launchers with smaller GMLRS rockets but flies on a semi-ballistic trajectory above 50 km altitude, making interception by most short- and medium-range air-defence systems difficult. The Block 1A variant reaches 300 km and can deliver either a unitary 230 kg warhead or a cluster payload. After their delivery to Ukraine in 2023, ATACMS enabled the first sustained Ukrainian strikes on Russian-occupied airfields in Crimea, including those hosting Ka-52 and Mi-28 attack helicopters. battlemap.online plots publicly confirmed ATACMS strikes and Russian air-defence reactions, including S-400 intercept attempts, building a chronological picture of long-range fires.
Storm Shadow / SCALP-EGEN
A British-French air-launched cruise missile (MBDA Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG) with a range of about 250 km in export form, transferred to Ukraine in 2023.
Storm Shadow (UK designation) and SCALP-EG (French) are the same MBDA missile with different national names. The weapon flies at subsonic speed at very low altitude, using terrain-matching navigation and an imaging infrared seeker to drop its 450 kg BROACH penetrating warhead onto hardened targets like bunkers, bridges and command centres. Ukraine launches them from modified Su-24M strike aircraft against Crimean naval headquarters, Black Sea Fleet vessels and Donbas logistics hubs. battlemap.online maps publicly verified Storm Shadow and SCALP strikes, tracking their cumulative effect on Russian command-and-control nodes and the Black Sea Fleet's freedom of action.
Bayraktar TB2EN
A Turkish medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) armed drone made by Baykar Tech, famed for its role in Nagorno-Karabakh and early operations in Ukraine.
The TB2 spans 12 metres, loiters up to 27 hours and carries four laser-guided MAM-L or MAM-C micro-munitions. It rose to global fame after Azerbaijan used it to dismantle Armenian armoured columns in 2020 and after Ukrainian operators destroyed Russian convoys during the opening months of the 2022 invasion. As Russian air defence matured, the TB2 became more vulnerable on the eastern front, but the platform remains widely exported - Poland, Romania, Morocco and Ethiopia all field it. battlemap.online tracks TB2 sightings and confirmed strikes across multiple theatres, illustrating the geographic reach of Turkey's signature combat drone.
LancetEN
A family of Russian loitering munitions (Izdeliye-51 and Izdeliye-52) built by ZALA Aero, designed for precision strikes against rear-area military targets.
Often called the 'Russian Switchblade', the Lancet has a range of 40-70 km and a 3-5 kg warhead. Unlike Shahed drones, which target cities, Lancets are aimed precisely at Ukrainian artillery pieces, tanks, radars and S-300/Buk air-defence systems. Its distinctive X-shaped wings provide stable flight up to the moment of impact, with onboard video relayed for damage assessment. Lancet effectiveness rose sharply after 2023 thanks to better integration with Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones. battlemap.online tracks documented Lancet hits, mapping impact locations and identified equipment losses so readers can see where rear-area precision strikes are concentrating.
FAB / KAB Glide BombsEN
Soviet-era FAB high-explosive bombs (250 kg to 1,500 kg) retrofitted with UMPK or UMPB glide kits to become standoff weapons with ranges up to 70 km.
Russia stockpiled tens of thousands of FAB-250, FAB-500 and FAB-1500 bombs during the Cold War. By attaching simple pop-out wings and a GLONASS-aided inertial guidance package (the UMPK kit), or the more advanced UMPB, these dumb bombs become standoff glide weapons released by Su-34 and Su-35 jets from beyond the reach of Ukraine's short-range air defences. Since 2023, mass glide-bomb use has devastated frontline cities such as Avdiivka, Vuhledar and Chasiv Yar. battlemap.online tags glide-bomb strikes as a distinct category because their tactical implications differ sharply from artillery or cruise missiles - they are cheap, high-volume, and very hard to intercept.
Iron DomeEN
An Israeli short-range mobile air-defence system designed to intercept rockets, mortars and artillery shells fired from ranges of 4-70 km.
Developed by Rafael with U.S. funding, Iron Dome batteries combine an EL/M-2084 radar, a battle management centre and Tamir interceptors. The system selectively engages only projectiles whose trajectories will hit populated areas, leaving rounds bound for open ground to fall harmlessly. Since entering service in 2011 it has intercepted thousands of rockets fired by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad from Gaza, with claimed success rates around 90%. After 7 October 2023, Iron Dome batteries also intercepted Hezbollah rockets from southern Lebanon. battlemap.online maps reported intercepts and impact sites, giving a spatial view of the rocket campaigns Iron Dome is engineered to blunt.
IRIS-T SLMEN
A German medium-range surface-to-air missile system from Diehl Defence, using the IRIS-T air-to-air missile in a ground-launched configuration.
IRIS-T SLM (Surface-Launched Medium-range) has a range of about 40 km and a ceiling of roughly 20 km, making it effective against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and drones. Germany delivered the first batteries to Ukraine in 2022, where it has reportedly achieved an exceptionally high intercept rate, especially against subsonic cruise missiles and Shahed drones. Sitting between Patriot (long range) and short-range Gepard guns, IRIS-T forms the medium layer that shields Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv. battlemap.online catalogues confirmed IRIS-T deployments and intercepts, illustrating how layered Western air defence has reshaped the survivability of Ukraine's urban infrastructure.
Patriot Missile System (MIM-104)EN
A U.S. mobile long-range surface-to-air missile system capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles.
The MIM-104 Patriot is the cornerstone of NATO and allied air and missile defence. The PAC-3 MSE variant uses hit-to-kill interceptors with a range above 100 km, while PAC-2 GEM-T relies on a proximity-fused warhead. In Ukraine, Patriot batteries have intercepted Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles and Shahed drones; in the Middle East, U.S. and allied batteries cover bases in the Gulf. The system pairs an AN/MPQ-65 radar with up to eight launchers per battery. battlemap.online maps confirmed deliveries, deployment sites, and notable intercepts, showing how Patriot coverage is distributed across active theatres.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)EN
A political-military defensive alliance of 32 North American and European states, built around the collective-defence guarantee of Article 5 of the 1949 Washington Treaty.
NATO emerged in 1949 as the Western response to Soviet expansion after the Second World War. Article 5 commits members to treat an attack on any one of them as an attack on all. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reshaped the alliance: Finland and Sweden abandoned decades of neutrality and joined in 2023 and 2024, while NATO's eastern flank, including Poland, Romania and the Baltic states, was reinforced by multinational battlegroups. battlemap.online follows NATO exercises, reported airspace violations and military movements along the eastern flank, providing geopolitical context for the active conflicts visualised on the dashboard.
SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces)EN
A Kurdish-led militia alliance in north-eastern Syria, backed by the United States, formed in 2015 around the YPG to fight the Islamic State.
The SDF was the main ground partner of the U.S.-led coalition that dismantled the territorial caliphate of the Islamic State between 2017 and 2019. Today it administers a large autonomous zone in north-eastern Syria called the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The SDF balances a complex geopolitical position: allied with Washington, treated as a terrorist offshoot by Ankara, and warily watched by Damascus and post-Assad authorities. battlemap.online maps SDF operations, Turkish cross-border strikes against its positions, ISIS resurgence incidents and shifting control lines, giving readers a granular view of this fragmented theatre.
RSF (Rapid Support Forces, Sudan)EN
A Sudanese paramilitary organisation that has been waging civil war against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023.
The RSF evolved out of the Janjaweed militias deployed in Darfur during the early 2000s and was formalised as a state paramilitary in 2013. Under commander Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo, it grew into one of the most heavily armed non-state actors in Africa. The April 2023 split with army chief al-Burhan triggered a full-scale civil war that has displaced more than 10 million people. RSF controls most of Darfur and large parts of Khartoum, while SAF dominates the east and north. battlemap.online maps the conflict by tracking control changes, key battles for El Fasher and Khartoum, and documented incidents against civilians.
SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces)EN
Sudan's regular army, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, fighting the paramilitary RSF in a civil war that erupted in April 2023.
The SAF controls eastern Sudan, including the temporary capital Port Sudan, most of the Nile corridor and pockets of Khartoum. It draws diplomatic and material support from Egypt, Iran and parts of the Gulf, fielding MiG-29 and Su-25 jets, Mi-35 attack helicopters and Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones for strikes on RSF positions. The war has caused the largest displacement crisis on the planet, with famine conditions classified as IPC-5 in parts of Darfur. battlemap.online maps SAF-RSF battles around Khartoum, Omdurman and El Fasher - the war's three defining battlefields - alongside reported airstrikes and humanitarian incidents.
Houthi Movement (Ansar Allah)EN
A Zaydi Shia Islamist political-military movement that controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sana'a, and is part of Iran's regional axis.
Formally known as Ansar Allah, the Houthi movement seized Sana'a in 2014, triggering an eight-year war with a Saudi-led coalition that ended in a fragile 2022 ceasefire. From November 2023 onward, the Houthis launched a sustained campaign of drone and missile strikes against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, choking one of the world's busiest sea lanes. The U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian and joint U.S.-U.K. strikes inside Yemen followed. battlemap.online maps Houthi attacks at sea, coalition retaliatory strikes and internal Yemeni fronts, correlating them with global freight and Brent crude movements.
HezbollahEN
A Lebanese Shia Islamist political-military organisation founded in 1982, backed by Iran and Syria, with both a parliamentary wing and a heavily armed military arm.
Hezbollah is widely considered the most heavily armed non-state actor in the world, with a pre-2024 arsenal estimated at 130,000-150,000 rockets and missiles. After the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, Hezbollah opened a second front against Israel from southern Lebanon, leading to near-daily exchanges of fire. In late 2024, Israel launched a major operation that included the pager and walkie-talkie sabotage attacks and the killing of long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah. The group's heartland sits in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. battlemap.online documents border exchanges, Israeli strikes deep inside Lebanon and reported arms transfers via Syria.
TatmadawEN
The armed forces of Myanmar (Burma), which seized power in a February 2021 coup and established a military junta under General Min Aung Hlaing.
The Tatmadaw has ruled Myanmar for most of the period since 1962, controlling vast sections of the economy through the MEHL and MEC conglomerates. After the 2021 coup, a nationwide rebellion erupted: a new People's Defence Force (PDF) aligned with established ethnic armed organisations such as the KIA, KNLA, AA, MNDAA and TNLA. The October 2023 Operation 1027 inflicted the most serious territorial losses on the Tatmadaw in decades, especially along the Chinese border. The junta has responded with mass airstrikes and artillery on civilian areas. battlemap.online maps the Myanmar conflict across Rakhine, Shan, Kayah and Sagaing.
PDF (People's Defence Force, Myanmar)EN
The armed wing of Myanmar's opposition National Unity Government (NUG), fighting the Tatmadaw junta since 2021 alongside ethnic armed organisations.
The PDF emerged organically after the brutal suppression of peaceful protests against the 2021 coup. Thousands of young Burmese - doctors, students, teachers - organised into hundreds of local battalions. Initially limited to guerrilla raids with improvised weapons and modified commercial drones, the PDF has matured into a disciplined force coordinating with the Three Brotherhood Alliance (MNDAA, TNLA, AA) and other ethnic armed groups. Operation 1027 in October 2023 marked its emergence as a peer force capable of major offensive operations. battlemap.online tracks PDF offensives, including battles for Lashio, Pa-an, Loikaw and broad swathes of Sagaing Region.
Bab el-MandebEN
A strategic maritime strait between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
Bab el-Mandeb is only about 30 km wide at its narrowest point, yet roughly 12% of global seaborne trade passes through it, including a substantial share of Middle Eastern oil bound for Europe. Since November 2023, Yemen's Houthis have conducted a campaign of missile, drone and uncrewed surface-vessel attacks on commercial ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian patrols the strait, while U.S. and U.K. forces strike Houthi targets inside Yemen. battlemap.online maps each Bab el-Mandeb incident alongside coalition response strikes, illustrating the strait's effect on global supply chains.
Strait of HormuzEN
A narrow maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, through which around 20% of the world's oil exports flow.
The Strait of Hormuz is about 33 km wide at its narrowest point and is the single most important chokepoint in global energy markets. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close it in response to sanctions or regional escalation - a move that analysts estimate could spike oil prices by 30-50%. The IRGC Navy regularly harasses Western tankers and has seized vessels flying Israeli, British and Marshall Islands flags in 2019, 2023 and 2024. The strait is one of the most heavily monitored AIS zones in the world. battlemap.online tracks Hormuz incidents alongside U.S. 5th Fleet movements, providing context for Iran-Israel escalation dynamics.
Black Sea Grain CorridorEN
A maritime export route from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, formalised by the July 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative and continued unilaterally by Ukraine after Russia withdrew in July 2023.
The original 2022 deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, allowed commercial vessels to leave Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi under inspection by a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul. About 33 million tonnes of grain had been shipped by the time Russia walked away in July 2023. Ukraine then opened a unilateral corridor hugging the Romanian and Bulgarian coastlines, defended by strikes on the Russian Black Sea Fleet using Storm Shadow missiles and uncrewed surface vessels like the Magura V5. battlemap.online correlates AIS traffic in the corridor with reported strikes on port infrastructure and Black Sea Fleet assets.
PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party)EN
The Kurdistan Workers' Party - a Kurdish political-armed organisation that has fought the Turkish state since 1984 over autonomy and cultural rights for Kurds.
Founded in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, but not by the United Nations. The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives, concentrated in south-eastern Turkey and in the Qandil Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan where the PKK maintains its main bases. The Turkish army runs regular cross-border operations - Operations Claw, Claw-Eagle, Claw-Lock - using Bayraktar TB2 drones and F-16 strike packages. battlemap.online tracks Turkish strikes against PKK positions in northern Iraq and Syria, plus related incidents involving the affiliated SDF, mapping the broader Kurdish-Turkish conflict.
IED (Improvised Explosive Device)EN
A homemade bomb assembled from military or commercial explosives and improvised triggers, used by insurgents and irregular forces against troops and infrastructure.
IEDs range from simple roadside bombs triggered by pressure plates or mobile phones to complex shaped-charge devices able to defeat heavy armour. They defined the operational environment in Iraq and Afghanistan during the 2000s, where explosively formed penetrators caused most coalition casualties. Today they remain a major threat to Russian forces in occupied Ukrainian territory, to Sudanese factions in Khartoum and to Tatmadaw convoys in Myanmar's Sagaing Region. Counter-IED work depends on route-clearance teams, robotic disposal vehicles and persistent intelligence. battlemap.online maps verified IED incidents reported by public OSINT communities, providing geographic context for asymmetric warfare patterns.
Loitering MunitionEN
A class of one-way attack drone designed to loiter in a target area, identify a target, and then dive into it as a guided munition - combining surveillance and strike in one airframe.
Loitering munitions, sometimes called 'kamikaze drones', span a wide capability spectrum. At the low end sit cheap modified commercial quadcopters used in Ukraine and Myanmar. At the high end are systems like the Israeli Harop, the Russian Lancet and the Iranian Shahed-136, each engineered to fly for hours before striking targets such as radars, artillery or infrastructure. Their economics are decisive: a $500 to $50,000 airframe routinely destroys assets worth millions. battlemap.online tracks the use of multiple loitering-munition types across Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan and Myanmar, helping users understand how this weapon class is reshaping every active conflict it touches.
Counter-Battery FireEN
Artillery or rocket fire directed at the enemy's own artillery, mortars or rocket launchers, typically guided by counter-battery radar that tracks the trajectory of incoming rounds.
Counter-battery fire is one of the defining duels of modern conventional war. Radars such as the U.S. AN/TPQ-50, the Swedish ARTHUR and the Russian Zoopark-1 detect outgoing shells, calculate the firing position and pass coordinates to a friendly artillery battalion or HIMARS battery within seconds. Survival in this duel hinges on shoot-and-scoot tactics: fire a few rounds, then displace before the return barrage arrives. Both Ukrainian and Russian commanders treat counter-battery effectiveness as a primary measure of artillery superiority on a given sector. battlemap.online tags counter-battery events when reported and visualises hotspots where artillery duels are most intense.
ELINT / SIGINT (Electronic & Signals Intelligence)EN
ELINT is the collection of non-communications electronic emissions such as radar signals; SIGINT is the broader category covering both ELINT and communications intercepts (COMINT).
ELINT specialists fingerprint enemy radars, surface-to-air missile guidance beams and electronic-warfare emitters, building the technical libraries that strike packages need to suppress air defences. SIGINT analysts complement this with intercepted radio, satellite phone and tactical-network traffic. The public face of this work shows up in OSINT mainly through aircraft tracking: when an RC-135V/W, P-8A Poseidon or RAF River Joint orbits over the Black Sea or the eastern Mediterranean, analysts know an active SIGINT mission is under way. battlemap.online visualises these reconnaissance flights on its ADS-B layer, giving readers a window into the geography of signals collection.
HUMINT (Human Intelligence)EN
Intelligence collected from and through human sources - including agents, defectors, prisoners of war, refugees and clandestine officers - as opposed to technical collection like SIGINT or IMINT.
HUMINT is the oldest discipline in intelligence work and remains uniquely valuable for understanding intent, decision-making and morale, which technical sensors cannot read. Modern conflicts blend HUMINT with technical streams: Ukrainian partisan networks in occupied territory pass coordinates to artillery and HIMARS crews, Israeli HUMINT shapes targeting in Gaza and Lebanon, and Sudanese activist networks document atrocities for international investigators. HUMINT also feeds early-warning indicators that complement satellite imagery and signals. While battlemap.online does not handle classified material, the platform regularly visualises events whose discovery began with human reporting - later corroborated and geolocated by public OSINT communities.
Geolocation (OSINT Technique)EN
An OSINT technique for pinpointing the exact location of an event, object or person by matching visual clues in video or photography against satellite imagery, street view and public maps.
Geolocation is the backbone of modern open-source investigation. Analysts compare elements visible in footage - building silhouettes, road geometry, distinctive signs, shadow direction and sun angle - against satellite imagery from Sentinel-2, Maxar or Planet Labs, as well as Google Street View, Mapillary and OpenStreetMap. With enough clues, undated combat footage can be tied to a specific intersection in Bakhmut or a bridge in Kherson Oblast. The methodology has been formalised in hundreds of investigations by public OSINT communities. battlemap.online plots only events whose locations have been successfully geolocated, ensuring every pin corresponds to a verified coordinate rather than a loose place name.