According to a journalistic investigation by the Swedish publication SVT in collaboration with partners from other countries, the Yandex Maps service has hidden or obscured 119 objects near Russia's western border.
Most of these objects, it is claimed, are related to Russia's military infrastructure and defense-industrial complex.
Among the identified objects:
- 31 — enterprises of the military-industrial complex, repair, or development;
- 29 — airbases;
- 16 — air defense, radar, and communication facilities;
- 12 — naval bases and repair facilities;
- 11 — logistics facilities, fuel, and ammunition depots;
- 6 — garrisons and training grounds;
- 4 — objects related to the nuclear sphere;
- 4 — space objects;
- 3 — nuclear power plants or research centers;
- 3 — other military objects of unknown purpose.
Journalists note that previously such "masked zones" were not recorded on open maps, and mass concealment began to be noticed in recent years.
The 2024 Russian court decision that obliged Yandex to hide the Ryazan oil refinery after attacks against it is also mentioned.
Experts cited by the publication, however, believe that such attempts to restrict access to maps can only have a limited effect, as the objects can still be identified by satellite images and other open sources.
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Поднимаем архивы тех же яндекс-карт и видим, то, что хотят стереть и спрятать.
Больш поўны артыкул не на SVT, а на NRK: "Order 138: Russia's hidden defense industry grows behind Yandex's blurs".