Veli-Pekka Kivimäki
@vpkivimaki.bsky.social
Intelligence analyst by day, OSINT in academia, engineer at heart. Now: Finnish Security and Intelligence Service. Adjunct, Johns Hopkins. Past: Finnish Defence Forces, Bellingcat, Microsoft, Nokia.
Finland 1939 vs. Ukraine 2022.
Soviet forces invaded Finland on 30 Nov 1939, while claiming not to threaten Finnish sovereignty. The Soviet goal was to march into Helsinki & seize control. The attempt was stopped by fierce resistance, much like the march into Kyiv in 2022.
Soviet forces invaded Finland on 30 Nov 1939, while claiming not to threaten Finnish sovereignty. The Soviet goal was to march into Helsinki & seize control. The attempt was stopped by fierce resistance, much like the march into Kyiv in 2022.
November 30, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Finland 1939 vs. Ukraine 2022.
Soviet forces invaded Finland on 30 Nov 1939, while claiming not to threaten Finnish sovereignty. The Soviet goal was to march into Helsinki & seize control. The attempt was stopped by fierce resistance, much like the march into Kyiv in 2022.
Soviet forces invaded Finland on 30 Nov 1939, while claiming not to threaten Finnish sovereignty. The Soviet goal was to march into Helsinki & seize control. The attempt was stopped by fierce resistance, much like the march into Kyiv in 2022.
Deterring China in the Arctic is tied to also dealing with the Russians, as Russia has become a route for China to access the Arctic. We explored the Russia/China Arctic relationship in our annual report. katsaus.supo.fi/en/china-in-...
March 29, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Deterring China in the Arctic is tied to also dealing with the Russians, as Russia has become a route for China to access the Arctic. We explored the Russia/China Arctic relationship in our annual report. katsaus.supo.fi/en/china-in-...
I was profiled by Finnish weekly Suomen Kuvalehti. We discussed similarities between my early work with Bellingcat, and work in intelligence today. Intelligence professionals should understand what today’s open source landscape looks like, and how it helps address key national security questions.
March 16, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I was profiled by Finnish weekly Suomen Kuvalehti. We discussed similarities between my early work with Bellingcat, and work in intelligence today. Intelligence professionals should understand what today’s open source landscape looks like, and how it helps address key national security questions.
I’ll just leave this here, if someone doesn’t remember who attacked who.
February 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I’ll just leave this here, if someone doesn’t remember who attacked who.
After the initial MH17 work 10 years ago, I was tracking Russia’s covert movement of equipment over the border to East Ukraine, and through @bellingcat.com we maintained a map to make it all visible. 3 years of overt war, but 11 years of overall military incursions by Russia into Ukraine.
February 24, 2025 at 11:44 AM
After the initial MH17 work 10 years ago, I was tracking Russia’s covert movement of equipment over the border to East Ukraine, and through @bellingcat.com we maintained a map to make it all visible. 3 years of overt war, but 11 years of overall military incursions by Russia into Ukraine.
In Finland we remember, and we stand with Ukraine.
February 22, 2025 at 9:22 PM
In Finland we remember, and we stand with Ukraine.
Asked Gemini and ChatGPT to interpret the same Windows Error Reporting log entry for a crash. Gemini made an elementary slip-up, and for some reason gave the explanation a different error code, 0x9F (DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE), instead of the 0x7F in the log entry.
February 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Asked Gemini and ChatGPT to interpret the same Windows Error Reporting log entry for a crash. Gemini made an elementary slip-up, and for some reason gave the explanation a different error code, 0x9F (DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE), instead of the 0x7F in the log entry.
My relationship with the news nowadays.
January 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
My relationship with the news nowadays.
Reposting President Stubb’s statement from X.
December 27, 2024 at 2:59 PM
Reposting President Stubb’s statement from X.
The toll of the secret war - Soviets shot down 13 U.S. reconnaissance aircraft between 1950-1964. Declassified article: www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Link...
December 11, 2024 at 7:31 PM
The toll of the secret war - Soviets shot down 13 U.S. reconnaissance aircraft between 1950-1964. Declassified article: www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Link...
Finnish Independence Day at Rukajärvi, 1943.
December 6, 2024 at 5:20 PM
Finnish Independence Day at Rukajärvi, 1943.
Today, we again celebrate Finnish independence. Given everything we see happening in Europe, it’s a good moment to pause and be grateful for sacrifices it has taken to remain free for 107 years. And also think what we can do to ensure we’re always ready to face potential threats to our freedom.
December 6, 2024 at 9:39 AM
Today, we again celebrate Finnish independence. Given everything we see happening in Europe, it’s a good moment to pause and be grateful for sacrifices it has taken to remain free for 107 years. And also think what we can do to ensure we’re always ready to face potential threats to our freedom.
85 years ago today, Soviets launched their attack on Finland, starting the Winter War. Helsinki was bombed on the first day. Some of the scars from the war are still visible in the city today.
November 30, 2024 at 2:40 PM
85 years ago today, Soviets launched their attack on Finland, starting the Winter War. Helsinki was bombed on the first day. Some of the scars from the war are still visible in the city today.
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.
November 28, 2024 at 1:05 PM
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.
They could have redacted the whole image, but they did this. 😅
November 17, 2024 at 3:13 PM
They could have redacted the whole image, but they did this. 😅
Bellingcat’s 10th anniversary celebration was a great reflection of its role today as an innovation hub for pushing open source investigations to new frontiers. The event brought together the broader community of journalists, tech folks & experts, and great things happen these all come together. 1/
November 16, 2024 at 3:25 PM
Bellingcat’s 10th anniversary celebration was a great reflection of its role today as an innovation hub for pushing open source investigations to new frontiers. The event brought together the broader community of journalists, tech folks & experts, and great things happen these all come together. 1/
In my research folder, also found this from 2007 in an issue of ”The Vanguard”. (Journal of the Military Intelligence Corps Association) Not found in the unredacted portions of NSA’s declassified ”American Cryptology during the Cold War; 1945-1989”.
November 14, 2024 at 12:34 PM
In my research folder, also found this from 2007 in an issue of ”The Vanguard”. (Journal of the Military Intelligence Corps Association) Not found in the unredacted portions of NSA’s declassified ”American Cryptology during the Cold War; 1945-1989”.
A 1940s document about Soviet military intelligence use of cover for HUMINT. Includes lots of examples. www.cia.gov/readingroom/...
November 13, 2024 at 6:49 PM
A 1940s document about Soviet military intelligence use of cover for HUMINT. Includes lots of examples. www.cia.gov/readingroom/...
Testing Gemini Advanced for turning scanned documents into JSON. Looks very promising.
November 9, 2024 at 3:54 PM
Testing Gemini Advanced for turning scanned documents into JSON. Looks very promising.
Cleary I should pivot my career to middle-aged gamer dad Twitch. 😂
November 9, 2024 at 12:52 PM
Cleary I should pivot my career to middle-aged gamer dad Twitch. 😂
Today marks 10 years since the release of the first big Bellingcat report on the origin of missile launcher that shot down flight MH17. In retrospect, a pivotal moment for me personally. Still a good example how digital open sources can be used to attribute real world events & fight disinformation.
November 8, 2024 at 7:24 AM
Today marks 10 years since the release of the first big Bellingcat report on the origin of missile launcher that shot down flight MH17. In retrospect, a pivotal moment for me personally. Still a good example how digital open sources can be used to attribute real world events & fight disinformation.
Marcel laid it out.
November 6, 2024 at 1:30 PM
Marcel laid it out.
Four year wait for a ”no responsive document found”. 😅🫠💀 Joys of intelligence history research.
October 9, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Four year wait for a ”no responsive document found”. 😅🫠💀 Joys of intelligence history research.
On Friday, I received the Engineer of the Year award from the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland. Among other disciplines, we also need an engineering mindset to approach and address various national security issues. Grateful and humbled for the honor.
September 15, 2024 at 8:13 AM
On Friday, I received the Engineer of the Year award from the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland. Among other disciplines, we also need an engineering mindset to approach and address various national security issues. Grateful and humbled for the honor.