Every day, hundreds of thousands of people receive updates about the Ukraine conflict through social networks and independent media. What began as a niche interest now shapes mainstream understanding, with generalist television channels and newspapers turning to these sources for context. Users post daily threads filled with maps, arrows indicating advances and retreats, and red zones that mark active conflict. They analyze military strategy on both sides, share footage of tank engagements and sniper actions, and sometimes display stark, grainy images of the war’s horrors: civilians executed, captured soldiers mistreated, and episodes of torture tied to the conflict.
EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA, part of the Prensa Ibérica group, spoke with several standout military and social media accounts that cover the Ukraine war, highlighting a spectrum from battlefield-focused to politically oriented, neutral, or partisan voices—some anonymous, others public.
Journal of Armies
Ejércitos Magazine specializes in military and defense topics and has grown into a broader area of interest since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It approaches the scene with nearly 100,000 followers on Twitter and runs a subscription-based digital magazine. Each day since the conflict began, it opens a thread on the platform featuring the most significant developments. It analyzes the weapons most used in the field, explores potential conflict scenarios, and interprets on-the-ground strategic maps. The Institute of War Studies is cited as a major influence, offering analyses framed around Strategic Studies, according to the magazine’s director and co-author of two books on the conflict. Christian Villanueva notes that the war’s impact aligns with preexisting trends, such as drone proliferation and the shift toward defense against assaults in an ever-evolving battlefield.
The military expert emphasizes that this war, while new in its scale, deepens trends already at play: a battlefield that is continually monitored and a landscape shaped by evolving technologies and tactics.
#Russia etc. #Ukraine – Day 420 – We started #thread Open #WarInUkraine.
We begin with a video illustrating the effect of a circulating ammunition round on a Russian position.
#REWETMEPLEASE pic.twitter.com/DMgPwUxpvV
– Army Magazine (@REjercitos) 19 April 2023
There is a growing weariness among audiences who have been inundated with information. Tabloid-style headlines and traditional outlets give way to a flood of updates that often prioritize urgency over context, leading observers to describe a media landscape saturated with clickbait.
war mapper
At the outset of the conflict, War Mapper began posting daily front-line maps on Twitter. As the war unfolded, updates moved from daily to hourly, reflecting the rapid pace of change, a dynamic described by its anonymous creator in a communication to the newspaper. The creator notes that early in the invasion the front line appeared clearer, while later phases featured extended trench lines and a shift toward artillery-focused combat. The editor explains that the current phase shows maneuver and position coming to rest along artillery-heavy lines rather than a single, rigid front.
“The map is intended to help people grasp how the conflict is evolving,” the author says, describing a goal of offering a readily accessible resource for those following the war. The author has cited a background in global events and prior mapping of conflicts in other regions, arguing that regularly updated maps were lacking at the war’s start.
Map of the approximate situation in Ukraine as of 19/04/23 00:00 UTC.
There has been no significant change in control since the last update. pic.twitter.com/8UivCJAWdw
—War Mapper (@War_Mapper) 19 April 2023
The War Mapper creator describes themselves as a novice map maker who nonetheless has reached hundreds of thousands of followers. The stated aim is to illuminate the conflict’s evolving nature and provide a useful resource for those who want ongoing updates. The creator notes a long-standing interest in international events and past engagement with conflicts in the Caucasus, Libya, Syria, and civil wars in Africa, explaining that the invasion highlighted a gap in timely, field-based mapping.
decipher the war
Deciphering War built a name on Twitter thanks to relentless threads spanning the world’s major geopolitical clashes, from Gaza to Syria and beyond. With interest in Ukraine surging, the account is nearing 400,000 followers. It is run by seven young historians, political scientists, anthropologists, and journalists who aim to present a balanced view and avoid the propaganda that accompanies wartime reporting. The team seeks to explain what each side is saying and to present sources from Russian, Ukrainian, and Western media to provide context.
To support this, the group reviews material from both sides, including on-location videos, and cross-checks reports from Russian and Ukrainian media with Western reporting. They caution that sometimes credible-seeming videos portray situations inaccurately and point to the deliberate manipulation efforts undertaken by various factions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Donbas, Mariupol and Crimea. This marked the first trip by the Russian leader to the Russian-occupied areas since the war began. They note the early attempts by governments to communicate a clear message to global audiences amid constant information flow.
They believe the conflict remains compelling. The broader media once showed intense interest, but as attention multiplied, coverage often fixated on tanks, strategy, and artillery, sometimes at the expense of deeper political context.
Battle Monitor
War Monitor is among the most-followed Ukraine-war accounts, openly backing Ukraine while sharing provocative, almost celebrity-like statements. It highlights frontline realities and aggregates data from field sources with official information to balance narrative claims. Although both sides push narratives, the author strives to maintain as much objectivity as possible and to verify information when possible.
Ukrainian artillery strikes and neutralizes positions where manpower, weapons, and equipment are concentrated, and authorities report multiple incidents in a single night. The account emphasizes Ukraine’s resilience and self-defense, steering away from definitive end-date predictions while underscoring a belief in Kyiv’s eventual success.
Juanjo Prego
Juanjo Prego shares daily analyses of Russia’s war against Ukraine through YouTube videos and Twitter threads. His background includes time living in Ulyanovsk and ties to a Russian citizen through marriage. He began his coverage on the same night of February 24, presenting his perspective without pretending neutrality. Despite personal connections to Russia, he supports Ukraine and seeks to explore Russian viewpoints and sociopolitical aspects of how the war is perceived there.
After more than a year of continuous coverage, he reflects on the lack of broad Russian public reaction, noting that repression can follow criticism. His reporting often intersects with monitoring Telegram accounts of major Russian propagandists and public figures, illustrating how propaganda shapes perceptions in both countries.
Statements from various Russian leaders about potential counteroffensives stand out for their rhetoric. Prego suggests that some messages should not be taken at face value, arguing that a perception of rigid unity may mask underlying fears about Western military support and its impact on Russia’s posture.