The Uses of Telegram for Air Raid Warnings in Ukraine

The next speaker in this AoIR 2024 conference session is Kateryna Bystrytska, whose interest is in the use of Telegram channels for constructing knowledge about the war in Ukraine. There are now many such channels that provide information about the current war situation, informing local residents about current air raids, the types of missiles and planes attacking the country, and the likely duration of attacks; this enables local residents to make more informed decisions about whether and when to head to air raid shelters or protect themselves by other means.

Such channels have been widely adopted by the Ukrainian population. Kateryna investigated ten such channels and engaged in digital ethnographic observation of the messages posted to these channels; these are diverse in their approaches and organisation, from more chatty and informal to more military and official channels, and from organised open source intelligence operations to news curation efforts by individuals. Monitoring the intensity of activity in these channels also provides insights into the intensity of Russian attacks on Ukraine over time.

Such channels seek to build trust by using trusted sources, open source intelligence, and occasional direct information from military sources; followers also contribute by sharing information across channels or by verifying the reported details. Many such channels also summarise the information graphically at the end of each day, e.g. by mapping the reported drone and missile movements, or provide summary infographics at the end of the month. The channels also maintain community by using distinct messages and emojis. Some such content is also being shared widely across other channels.

These efforts have a substantial impact on public perception and knowledge about the war – though how users evaluate and choose which channels to follow remains unclear. It frames and primes public knowledge about current threats and threat types, provides vertical mediation, and increases public trust in available information. There is also a threat that this trusted position can lead to the dissemination of misinformation, however. It will also be interesting to see how these widely used channels will evolve further after the war ends.