Please contact me if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Contested Ground is an open-access research project that creates satellite imagery analysis of war and conflict.
Contested Ground's current focus is on Russia's war against Ukraine, from 2014 to present. All reports are listed on the Reports section of this website and are freely available for download on Research Gate. I publish analytical reports in a format that can be used across different communities of interest: academia, legal professionals, media and the general public.
I create reports that capture moments in history that have either military, political or humanitarian significance. Each report serves as a building block to help establish a chronology of events, illustrate behaviours or actions, or determine changes over time.
Data integrity is an important part of my work. I include detailed metadata on the location of observations, positioning of satellites used to create images, and the sourcing of primary and secondary data.
In order to publish my work online, I use Very High Resolution (VHR) imagery from Google Earth.
The imagery is predominantly sourced from Maxar Technologies, CNES and Airbus. Google Earth imagery is free to use for non-commercial purposes. I also access imagery from EOS Landviewer and Apollo Mapping as part of my analytical process.
There are limitations to Google Earth - the frequency of imagery coverage varies, sometimes days, months or even up to a year apart. And the latest imagery is usually one year behind the present day. However, Google Earth holds an enormous repository of data going back more than a decade. Importantly, it is free to use and publish (within its terms of service).
For imagery of current events, I use commercial satellite imagery providers. Please note, the public release of these products depends on imagery licensing agreements.
For an explanation of the different satellite imagery resolution types see this article.
Free imagery resources
For a good overview of free satellite imagery resources available, see this article on EOS Data analytics.
Foremost, each case study must add value as a form of knowledge creation.
I ask:
I also consider image clarity (cloud cover, partial/full image coverage, shadow extent), spatial resolution and temporal resolution.
I welcome requests from academics, legal professionals and the media where there is a clearly defined information requirement and associated output, such as a publication, expert witness submission, conference or lecture.
To influence my choice of case studies, consider becoming a Patron, where you can vote on what I create and learn more about my imagery analysis process.
Russia's military aggression against Ukraine started much earlier than 24 February 2022.
This fact is recognised by the International Criminal Court - its investigation into the situation in Ukraine extends from 21 November 2013 to present.
I cover events from 2014 onwards to shed a light on these earlier periods, which are often overlooked in the media and academia.
Moreover, between 2015-17 and 2020-22, I worked in Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts with the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. Contested Ground is my way of using this unique perspective to identify, analyse and publish imagery showing important or noteworthy observations from the pre-2022 outbreak of full-scale war.
Yes. Please contact me to discuss your requirements, including the following information as a minimum:
- Geographic area of interest and time/date periods.
- General outline of desired product: diagram, infographic, recognition, change detection.
- Budget for commercial satellite imagery (or if the imagery is already available).
- Whether the output will be published online or kept in-house.
For outputs that will be published online and are available for public use (i.e. not behind a pay-wall), I will consider delivering imagery analysis and product design on a pro bono basis. Please note, satellite imagery will still need to be sourced by the client.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) provides excellent coverage with its daily 'Russian Offensive Campaign Assessments'. Similar reporting can also be found at the Centre for Eastern Studies, a Polish think tank.
To track territorial developments on the frontline, see the ISW's interactive map, Deep State, NZZ or the Ukraine Daily Update Map.
For commentary and in-depth analysis at a more strategic level, see the International Crisis Group, Chatham House and RUSI.
Occasional investigative work on Russia and Ukraine is published by Bellingcat, the Centre for Information Resilience and Truth Hounds.
For legal commentary and discussions on options and/or prospects of a Special Tribunal, see Just Security, Justice Info, Jurist and Opinio Juris.
Copyright © 2024 Contested Ground - All Rights Reserved.