One doesn’t need to be a master of military intelligence or even really as master of anything beyond common sense to say that it’s likely a really bad idea to let one’s soldiers take their personal phones to war with them. Never mind constant phone calls home to the family (for older soldiers) and phone calls home to mom and girlfriends (for the younger ones), there is a lot of information that can be gained through even simple communications.

Like the type on Tinder.

Russian soldiers have been using Tinder now that they’ve crossed the border. Guys looking for a one-night date might inform an entire Ukrainian division where they plan to be at a certain time and there might well be some action there, just not the type the soldier wanted.

This can’t be allowed, can it? From Livemint:

Dating apps like Tinder show you recommendations based on your geographical location, or the location you set. As Russian soldiers cross into Ukrainian cities, they have started popping up on Tinder of multiple women like 33-year-old Dasha Synelnikova, who lives in Kyiv but has set her location to Kharkiv, which is just 25 miles from the Russian border.

“I actually live in Kyiv but changed my location settings to Kharkiv after a friend told me there were Russian troops all over Tinder,” the woman was quoted as saying by The Sun. “And I couldn’t believe my eyes when they popped up trying to look tough and cool.”

She said that the soldiers sported combat gear and wielded weapons in their dating profile photos. She said she rejected most of them but eventually struck up a conversation with one soldier.

Just look at the breathtaking amount of information one could glean from the above. The location, first and foremost (If a woman says “she wants you, now” –  many men are going to tell that woman exactly where to find them), what kind of combat gear are they wearing? Urban? More country? What type of weaponry they’re carrying, and their schedule. One can even tell that they’re really not into fighting wars. They are not raping and pillaging, at least nothing that has made the news right now and – sick as it is, rape has gone with war since they invented war. It sounds more like they’re interested in meeting the right girl. Does it sound like the Russian soldiers want to be there?

If the Russian military allowed them to bring their phones for “emergencies” only, that’s intelligence right there. Lack of discipline. Same if the government said no phones and they brought phones anyway, it tells the opposing force a lot.

Synelnikova asked the soldier if he was in Kharkiv, to which he replied: “Of course I am not in Kharkiv but I am close — 80km.”

“Do you have any plans to visit us?” she asked him. 

At least he knew better than to answer that question. Militaries have used women to get intelligence forever, but it’s taking on a bit different angle now, at least with a force willing to take its phones to battle.

****

[email protected] and with Nicole Hickman