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U.S. Companies Violating the Human Rights of Ukrainian Citizens
They sell detailed images to agents of Russia, and days later, those ‘images’ are blown to bits by missiles.
The images of Ukraine seen on Google Maps are random. Given the restrictions of the war, they are most likely from years ago. Russia’s military, however, is using fresh images — some just days and even hours old — provided by American businesses. The sale of these images is a human rights violation.
Why are these companies not being sanctioned or investigated by the U.S. government?
U.S. companies are capitalizing on their capabilities by selling highly detailed photos from satellite flyovers. Russians with international credit cards can purchase high-resolution images of virtually every square meter, including those of Ukraine, for as little as $1,200. This process, known as ‘tasking,’ involves the customer requesting an image of a specific area, which the satellite’s cameras then precisely target. The resulting image is accompanied by grid coordinates, significantly enhancing the precision of potential military operations.
Ukraine has been keeping track of the disturbing trend. A satellite takes a picture of a site, and a few days to a week later, that site is hit by Russia’s most…
