MAPPING THE INVASION

Meet the enterprising trainee lawyer who helped invent a unique website used by millions of people every day to monitor what is happening on the ground in war-torn Ukraine

- By Lord Ashcroft

AT AN age when most young men are finishing their education or planning their “gap year”, Roman Pohorilyi created an ingenious device that is today seen as indispensable to his homeland of war-torn Ukraine.

On the very day Russia launched its illegal, all-out invasion February 24, 2022 Roman, then 22, and his friend, Ruslan Mykula, 27, unveiled an online map now used by millions of Ukrainians every day as well as millions more people all over the world. Their DeepState map, along with its social media Telegram channel of the same name, have become widely regarded as the most detailed and reliable “open source” material of what is happening on the ground in the embattled country.

Furthermore, both young co-founders are now considered amongst the most expert commentators on the war given they have access to the most sensitive information imaginable. After Ukraine's sensational strike behind enemy lines against Russian aircraft, for instance, Roman was quoted on the BBC as saying: "This can be considered one of the most brilliant operations in our history. We've shown that we can be strong, we can be creative and we can destroy our enemies, no matter how far away they are."

I met Roman in Odesa, Ukraine's magnificent southern sea port, where for the second successive year, I was the lead sponsor of the Black Sea Security Forum and he was a guest speaker at the three-day event.

Later, in an exclusive interview, the bearded young tech expert spoke of his pride at being able to establish a tool that is used by Ukraine's military leaders, front-line soldiers, political leaders and civilians alike.

"It's a great honour to be helping my country and to have achieved all this at such a young age," he told me.