Journals / Bölgesel Araştırmalar Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1

The Public Use of Intelligence: A Strategic Analysis of Intelligence Sharing in the Russia-Ukraine War

İstihbaratın Kamusal Kullanımı: Rusya-Ukrayna Savaşı'nda İstihbarat Paylaşımının Stratejik Analizi

Kazim Murat Özkan(JANDARMA VE SAHİL GÜVENLİK AKADEMİSİ, JANDARMA VE SAHİL GÜVENLİK FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-6206-3224
Pages
71–92
Publication Date
2026-05-26
DOI
—
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

In conclusion, it has been stated that intelligence, as used to inform the public, is not merely a product to be presented to policymakers and decision-makers, but a tool used to achieve strategic effects in crisis scenarios.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Intelligence is generally gathered secretly and used to inform policymakers, decision-makers, and, when necessary, the domestic public, in accordance with the “need-to-know” principle.
📊
Key Findings & Data:This study argues that while the public disclosure of intelligence represents a significant evolutionary step in how intelligence assets are used, it is rooted in a longer historical legacy.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:In conclusion, it has been stated that intelligence, as used to inform the public, is not merely a product to be presented to policymakers and decision-makers, but a tool used to achieve strategic effects in crisis scenarios.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:İstihbarat · Kamu İstihbaratı · Rusya Federasyonu

Abstract

Intelligence is generally gathered secretly and used to inform policymakers, decision-makers, and, when necessary, the domestic public, in accordance with the “need-to-know” principle. However, in the run-up to the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine and during the initial stages of the war, the United Kingdom and the United States, in addition to their usual methods of using intelligence, publicly disclosed intelligence, particularly to influence international public opinion. The United Kingdom and the United States have used intelligence as leverage to both warn about the intentions of the Russian Federation and to deter the Russian Federation from military action against Ukraine. This study argues that while the public disclosure of intelligence represents a significant evolutionary step in how intelligence assets are used, it is rooted in a longer historical legacy. This study explores why states choose to use intelligence to influence international public opinion, what they aim to achieve by doing so, the advantages and disadvantages of disclosing classified information to the public, and the use of intelligence during the Ukraine crisis. In conclusion, it has been stated that intelligence, as used to inform the public, is not merely a product to be presented to policymakers and decision-makers, but a tool used to achieve strategic effects in crisis scenarios. In this context, it has been emphasized that it can be used to influence public opinion, deter adversaries from their intentions, combat disinformation, and shape foreign policy discourse. On the other hand, it has been concluded that this is not a risk-free policy, given its drawbacks.

Özet

İstihbarat genellikle gizli olarak toplanır ve “bilmesi gereken” ilkesine uygun olarak politika yapıcıların, karar alıcıların ve gerektiğinde de iç kamuoyunu bilgilendirmek için kullanılır. Ancak Rusya Federasyonu’nun Ukrayna'yı işgaline giden süreçte ve savaşın ilk aşamalarında, Birleşik Krallık ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, olağan istihbaratı kullanma yöntemlerine ilave olarak, özellikle dış kamuoyunu etkilemek için istihbaratı kamuoyuna açıklamışlardır. Birleşik Krallık ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, hem Rusya Federasyonu’nun niyeti hakkında uyarıda bulunmak hem de Rusya Federasyonu’nu Ukrayna’ya karşı askeri harekâttan caydırmak amacıyla istihbaratı bir kaldıraç olarak kullanmıştır. Bu çalışma, istihbaratın kamuya açıklanmasının, istihbarat varlıklarını kullanma biçiminde önemli bir evrimsel adım olmakla birlikte, daha uzun bir tarihsel mirasa dayandığını savunmuştur. Devletlerin neden dış kamuoyunu etkilemek için istihbaratı kullanmayı seçtiklerini, bunu yaparak neyi başarmayı amaçladıklarını, gizli bilgilerin kamuya açıklanmasının faydalarını ve mahzurlarını, Ukrayna krizi sırasında istihbarat kullanımı incelenerek ortaya konmuştur. Sonuç olarak, şimdiye kadar bilgilendirmek için kullanılan istihbaratın, sadece politika yapıcılara, karar alıcılara sunulacak bir ürün olarak değil, kriz senaryosunda stratejik etkiler elde etmek için kullanılan bir araç olduğu belirtilmiştir. Bu bağlamda, kamuoyunu etkilemede, hasım tarafı niyetinden caydırmada, dezenformasyonla mücadelede ve dış politika söylemini şekillendirmede kullanılabileceği hususu vurgulanmıştır. Diğer yandan, bu hususun mahzurları da belirtilerek risksiz bir politika olmadığı sonucuna varılmıştır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Özkan, K. M. (2026). The Public Use of Intelligence: A Strategic Analysis of Intelligence Sharing in the Russia-Ukraine War. Bölgesel Araştırmalar Dergisi, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1, 71–92. https://ajindex.com/articles/1468051

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (60)

  1. All topics (2026). https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/advice-guidance/all-topics
  2. Altıntaş, K. M. (2024). Strategic Analysis if Russian Intelligence Community in Terms of Operational Effectiveness in Russian-Ukraine Pre-War Era, Journal of Intelligence & Analysis, 27(1), 53-71.
  3. Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections, (2017). https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/2017/01/06/publications-assessing-russian-activities-and-intentions-recent-us-elections/
  4. Assessing the Saudi Government's Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi (2021). https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Assessment-Saudi-Gov-Role-in-JK-Death-20210226v2.pdf
  5. Berg, S. (2022). Russian no show at U.N. court hearing on Ukrainian 'genocide'. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-russia-face-off-world-court-over-genocide-claim-2022-03-06/
  6. Bertrand, N.; Sciutto, J. ve Atwood, K. (2021). CIA Director Dispatched to Moscow to Warn Russia Over Troop Buildup Near Ukraine. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/05/politics/bill-burns-moscow-ukraine
  7. Borger, J. (2018). Western allies expel scores of Russian diplomats over Skripal attack. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/26/four-eu-states-set-to-expel-russian-diplomats-over-skripal-attack
  8. Borger, J. (2022a). US claims Russia planning ‘false-flag’ operation to justify Ukraine invasion. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/14/us-russia-false-flag-ukraine-attack-claim
  9. Borger, J. (2022b). US warns of ‘distinct possibility’ Russia will invade Ukraine within days, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/11/biden-ukraine-us-russian-invasion-winter-olympics
  10. Brumfiel, G. (2019). Trump Tweets Sensitive Surveillance Image Of Iran. https://www.npr.org/2019/08/30/755994591/president-trump-tweets-sensitive-surveillance-image-of-iran
  11. Corbin, J. (2019). Cemal Kaşıkçı cinayeti: Türk yetkililerin elindeki ses kayıtlarını dinleyenler ne diyor? BBC Türkçe. https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-dunya-49878363
  12. Dettmer, J. (2022). Smaller European Nations Uneasy as Germany’s Scholz Plans to Meet Putin. Voa News. https://www.voanews.com/a/smaller-european-nations-uneasy-as-germany-scholz-plans-to-meet-putin/6379981.html
  13. Duffield, J. (2023). The ‘Ukraine Model’ for Intelligence Disclosure May Not be the New Normal. RUSI. https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/ukraine-model-intelligence-disclosure-may-not-be-new-normal
  14. Dylan, H., ve Maguire, T. J. (2022). Secret Intelligence and Public Diplomacy in the Ukraine War. Survival, 64(4), 33-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/00396338.2022.2103257
  15. EU says Russia reports of biolabs in Ukraine likely disinformation, (2022). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-says-russia-reports-biolabs-ukraine-likely-disinformation-2022-03-09/
  16. Farge, E. (2022). Russia says 'real danger' of Ukraine acquiring nuclear weapons required response. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/russias-lavrov-says-there-is-danger-ukraine-acquiring-nuclear-weapons-2022-03-01/
  17. Gault, M. (2022). The Internet Is Debunking Russian War Propaganda in Real Time. https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-internet-is-debunking-russian-war-propaganda-in-real-time/
  18. Graff, G. M. (2020). The US Is Losing Its Fight Against Huawei, Wired, https://www.wired.com/story/uk-huawei-5g-networks-us/
  19. Gustafson, K.; Lomas, D.; Wagner, S.; Shaaban Abdalla, N. ve Davies, P. H. J. (2024). Intelligence warning in the Ukraine war, Autumn 2021 – Summer 2022, Intelligence and National Security, 39(3), 400–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/02684527.2024.2322214
  20. Harris, S. ve Sonne, P. (2021). Russia Planning Massive Military Offensive Against Ukraine Involving 175,000 Troops, U.S. Intelligence Warns. Washington Post. https://www.com/national-security/russia-ukraine-invasion/2021/12/03/98a3760e-546b-11ec-8769-2f4ecdf7a2ad_story.html
  21. Holland, S. (2022). China asked Russia to delay Ukraine invasion until after Olympics, Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us-officials-say-china-asked-russia-delay-ukraine-war-until-after-beijing-2022-03-02/
  22. Holmgren, B. M. (2024) ‘The age of intelligence diplomacy: The Iraq highlighted its risks. Russia’s war in Ukraine showcased its opportunities’, Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/02/19/russia-ukraineus-intelligence-diplomacy-invasion-anniversary/
  23. Huminski, J. C. (2023). Russia, Ukraine, and the Future Use of Strategic Intelligence, PRISM, 10(3), 9–25.
  24. Jonsson, M. (2024.). Swedish intelligence, Russia and the war in Ukraine: Anticipations, course, and future implications, Intelligence and National Security, 39(3), 443-457.
  25. Kivimäki, V.-P. (2014). Russian State Television Shares Fake Images of MH17 Being Attacked. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2014/11/14/russian-state-television-shares-fake-images-of-mh17-being-attacked/
  26. Kremlin Warns of Potential Threat of Ukraine Acquiring Nuclear Weapons From West (2026). The Moscow Times. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/02/24/kremlin-warns-of-potential-threat-of-ukraine-acquiring-nuclear-weapons-from-west-a92035
  27. Lyngaas, S. ve Cohen, Z. (2022). US accuses Moscow spies of working with Russian-language media outlets to spread Ukraine disinformation. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/15/politics/us-russia-ukraine-misinformation/index.html
  28. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17: The Britons who died, (2014). https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28391117
  29. Marleku, Alfred (2025). Public intelligence as a strategic tool: The role of real-time intelligence disclosure in the Ukraine War. Security and Defence Quarterly, 50(2), 50–65. https://doi.org/10.35467/sdq/205566
  30. Merchant, N. (2022). US accuses financial website of spreading Russian propaganda. Apnews. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-coronavirus-pandemic-health-moscow-media-ff4a56b7b08bcdc6adaf02313a85edd9
  31. Michaels, E. (2024). Caught off guard? Evaluating how external experts in Germany warned about Russia’s war on Ukraine, Intelligence and National Security, 39(3), 420–442. DOI: 10.1080/02684527.2024.2330133
  32. Ministry of Defence [@DefenceHQ] (2022). https://x.com/DefenceHQ/status/1494344646864031758?s=20&t=lEzYc3hzJLPWa2-zQxqsWg;
  33. Moore, Richard [@XChiefMI6], (2022a). This attack was long planned, unprovoked, cruel aggression. No amount of Russian disinformation will now disguise that fact from the international community. https://x.com/XChiefMI6/status/1496939918416916484
  34. Moore, Richard [@XChiefMI6], (2022b). Running out of steam. https://x.com/XChiefMI6/status/1553309715299536896
  35. Nakashima, E. ve Fung, B. ( 2019). U.S. allies differ on difficulty of containing Huawei security threat, Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/06/us-allies-are-skeptical-trump-administrations-huawei-argument/
  36. Pinkus, J. (2014). Intelligence and Public Diplomacy: The Changing Tide, Journal of Strategic Security, 7(1), 33-46. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.7.1.3
  37. Riemer, O. (2022). Intelligence and the war in Ukraine: The limited power of public disclosure, The Institute for National Security Studies. https://www.inss.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/no.-1577.pdf
  38. Roth, A. (2019). Russia moves to mask its soldiers' digital trail with smartphone ban. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/19/russia-moves-to-mask-soldiers-digital-trail-with-smartphone-ban
  39. Roth, A.; Sabbagh, D. ve O'Carroll, L. (2022). Ukraine taking UK claim of Russian invasion plot seriously, says adviser, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/23/ukraine-taking-uk-claim-of-russian-invasion-plot-seriously-says-adviser
  40. Ruiz, M. (2022). Former KGB officer Putin's intelligence failures hold Russia back as Ukraine fights for freedom and democracy. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/world/putin-intelligence-failure-russia-ukraine
  41. Sabbagh, D. (2022a). Russia’s FSB agency tasked with engineering coups in Ukrainian cities, UK believes, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/13/russias-fsb-agency-engineering-coups-ukrainian-cities
  42. Sabbagh, D. (2022b). Ukraine crisis brings British intelligence out of the shadows, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/18/ukraine-crisis-bring-british-intelligence-out-of-the-shadow-warning-russian-invasion-information-war-with-kremlin
  43. Schwartz, F. ve Sevastopulo, D. (2022). A Real Stroke of Genius’: US Leads Efforts to Publicise Ukraine Intelligence. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/9b3bc8c0-d511-4eec-9cbd5a4f432f6909
  44. Sciutto, J. ve Bertrand, N. (2021). CIA Director had rare conversation with Putin while in Moscow last week. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/08/politics/bill-burns-cia-putin-moscow
  45. Scott, L. and Jackson, P. (2004). The Study of Intelligence in Theory and Practice, Intelligence and National Security, 19(2), 139-169. DOI: 10.1080/0268452042000302930
  46. Shires, J. (2020). The Simulation of Scandal: Hack-and-Leak Operations, the Gulf States, and U.S. Politics, Texas National Security Review, 3(4), 10-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.26153/tsw/10963
  47. Stewart, P. (2022). CIA director estimates 15,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/cia-director-says-some-15000-russians-killed-ukraine-war-2022-07-20/
  48. Syria: reported chemical weapons use - Joint Intelligence Committee letter (2013). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/syria-reported-chemical-weapons-use-joint-intelligence-committee-letter
  49. Terrorism threat levels (2026). https://www.mi5.gov.uk/threats-and-advice/terrorism-threat-levels
  50. Teslova, E. (2026). Russia's Medvedev warns of nuclear response if West gives Ukraine nuclear weapons. Anadolu Agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/russias-medvedev-warns-of-nuclear-response-if-west-gives-ukraine-nuclear-weapons/3838998
  51. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962: Presenting the Photographic Evidence Abroad (962). https://irp.fas.org/imint/cubakent.htm
  52. The Kremlin’s Allegations of Chemical and Biological Weapons Laboratories in Ukraine, (2022). https://it.usembassy.gov/the-kremlins-allegations-of-chemical-and-biological-weapons-laboratories-in-ukraine/
  53. Thomas, J. U. (2022). West hits Vladimir Putin’s fake news factories with wave of sanctions. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/west-hits-vladimir-putins-fake-news-factories-with-wave-of-sanctions
  54. Thornton, R. (2015). The Changing Nature of Modern Warfare: Responding to Russian Information Warfare. The RUSI Journal. 160(4), 40-48.
  55. UN News (2024). Stories from the UN Archive: The presentation that launched a war. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/02/1146332
  56. United States Government Assessment of the Assad Regime’s Chemical Weapons Use (2018). https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/united-states-government-assessment-assad-regimes-chemical-weapons-use/
  57. Zegart, A. (2022). Open secrets, Foreign Affairs. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/open-secrets-ukraine-intelligence-revolution-amy-zegart
  58. Harris, S. ve Sonne, P. (2021). Russia Planning Massive Military Offensive Against Ukraine Involving 175,000 Troops, U.S. Intelligence Warns. Washington Post. https://www.com/national-security/russia-ukraine-invasion/2021/12/03/98a3760e-546b-11ec-8769-2f4ecdf7a2ad_story.html
  59. Moore, Richard [@XChiefMI6], (2022b). Running out of steam. https://x.com/XChiefMI6/status/1553309715299536896
  60. Riemer, O. (2022). Intelligence and the war in Ukraine: The limited power of public disclosure, The Institute for National Security Studies. https://www.inss.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/no.-1577.pdf