OFU Annual Report 2025

What began as a student-led collective in the early days of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has, over the course of three years, grown into a professional foundation with a vital mission: harnessing the power of open-source intelligence (OSINT) to serve truth, memory, and justice.‌

OSINT For Ukraine was born in the halls of Leiden University, where three students‌ came together to create a collective response to unfolding war crimes. From those first data points manually added to a map visualizing international crimes committed by Russia, OSINT for Ukraine has grown into a diverse, international team of investigators, analysts, lawyers, and technologists. Together, we have built open-source tools, launched groundbreaking investigations, and trained others to do the same.‌

The year 2025 was marked by both progress and uncertainty. As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine entered its fourth year, organizations working on accountability, human rights documentation, and counter-disinformation efforts faced an increasingly complex operating environment. Across Europe and beyond, funding for international development, democracy support, and justice initiatives came under growing pressure, creating challenges for civil society organizations committed to long-term accountability efforts.

This annual report captures the continuation of our mission: