Europe | Damage mapping

Ukraine is using foreign tech to mitigate Russian destruction

The war is a testing-ground for new applications

French engineer and specialist in 3D data acquisition Emmanuel Durand uses his laser-scanner on May 26, 2022, to map the architecture of the Karkhiv fire station built in 1887. - Shells and missiles have been falling on cities since the start of the war in Ukraine, damaging historic buildings. Cultural services try to preserve their memory and record the damages with advanced laser technology and 3D scans. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Dec 8th 2022

Much of Ukraine is dark. Russian missiles have ensured that millions of households lack electricity. Even so, technology is helping Ukraine survive the present and prepare for the future, thanks to its own efforts and those of friends. Nearly 2,000 miles (3,200km) from Kyiv, a map of Ukraine is a pattern of colourful dots, each marking a place where war damage has occurred. The live tracker at the Scottish headquarters of HALO Trust, a de-mining charity, charts Russian bombings of Ukraine within hours of each incident. Live information about damage, and the ordnance that caused it, used to be near-impossible to obtain. But recent advances make it possible to gain nearly real-time access to data that may prove useful for defence now and rebuilding later.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Smart warfare”