RUSI and Open Source Centre Partner to Deliver New Research on Ukraine War
RUSI and the newly formed Open Source Centre (OSC) have agreed a strategic partnership to deliver novel, open-source based research on the war in Ukraine and other conflicts.
As part of the new partnership, RUSI and the OSC have developed a new methodology for analysing industrial warfare, drawing on their new, comprehensive study of Russia’s artillery supply chain.
This latest research – launched at an event at RUSI’s 61 Whitehall offices – combines outputs from a variety of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) platforms to build an understanding of Russia's artillery supply chain, from the raw materials mined in the Urals through to the machines that shape them into barrels and artillery rounds, and the chemical factories that manufacture explosives.
The teams’ report, which can be accessed here, outlines how Russia’s artillery supply chain is vulnerable to disruption in several ways. They note that western governments can help Ukraine to restore strategic balance by focusing their efforts on artillery.Â
Matthew Savill, Director of RUSI’s Military Sciences Research Group, said:
We’re pleased to be able to partner with the OSC, drawing on their leading OSINT analysis to generate new insights on the war in Ukraine and other conflicts shaping our world. Our newest study reveals the continued role of western technology in helping Russia to expand its defence industry, in spite of efforts to prevent this. There is more that international supporters of Ukraine can do, including maximising and targeting diplomatic and economic pressure.
Matthew Savill
Director of Military Sciences
James Byrne, CEO of the Open Source Centre and Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI said:
We are delighted to announce our partnership with RUSI, the world’s foremost defence and security think-tank, on this crucial project. Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, RUSI has played a pivotal role in providing expert analysis and insight into a conflict that continues to cost thousands of Ukrainian lives and which poses a significant threat to international stability.By joining forces with RUSI, we hope to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex military ecosystems and international supply chains that underpin Russia’s war of aggression. Together, our goal is to provide valuable insights that will better inform the public, policymakers, and the private sector, empowering them to make more informed decisions in confronting these pressing challenges and strengthening global security.
James Byrne
RUSI Senior Associate Fellow
Notes to Editors
For media interview requests, please contact RUSIP@rusi.org.
About RUSI’s Military Sciences Research Group
The Military Sciences research group carries out cutting-edge research to deliver intellectual challenge and thought leadership on military and defence matters. We take a long-term perspective, grounded in a rigorous historical evidence base and an examination of the conduct of adversaries and contemporary conflict, in order to shape defence policies.
We draw on considerable in-house expertise in the air, land, maritime, cyber and space domains, and on an unrivalled network of connections and affiliations in conflict zones, to provide real-time contemporary lessons. This enables us to combine our research with practical experience and contextual awareness.
As part of our work, our staff engage with military, defence industrial and governmental stakeholders from the operational to the senior leadership level, in the UK and overseas.
About OSC
The Open Source Centre (OSC) is a UK-based non-profit which uses publicly accessible information to produce cutting-edge open-source research products on some of the world's most pressing security challenges and threats facing the United Kingdom and its allies.
It is a small, mission-driven team of analysts, engineers, and technologists who have led groundbreaking investigations into global illicit networks and delivered tools and training to empower others to do the same.
You can find out more about the OSC’s work here.