Cat Video Leads to GEOINT Success: How Molfar Volunteers Traced a Russian Propagandist’s Address

In this article, we explain how volunteers from the Molfar community used simple OSINT tools to determine the address of the building from which a video for a Russian propaganda Telegram channel was filmed. The key element of the investigation was a video featuring a cat.

‘Kot Barmaley’ — Another Propaganda Channel

The Telegram channel “Kot Barmaley” posts Russian propaganda, supports the war against Ukraine, and praises Russian military personnel. At the time of writing this article, the channel has 21k subscribers.

The mascot of the Telegram channel is a cat named 'Barmaley.' It is suspected that this animal was stolen from the occupied territory of Ukraine. The channel's description claims that the cat, who supposedly communicates on the channel, was born in the 'SVO' zone (likely referring to the 'special military operation') and serves in the Southern Group of Forces (YGV).

In December 2023, a video was posted in this group showing the cat looking out a window. At first glance, the video seems highly uninformative, and determining the location appears impossible. However, the volunteers from the Molfar community succeeded in doing so. 'It was an interesting process that required attention and patience,' the volunteers said.

Step One: Source Analysis

First, it was necessary to study the platform where the video was published. Based on previously gathered data, the volunteers determined that the author of the Telegram channel was located in Moscow. This assumption was confirmed using artificial intelligence. In this case, they used the geospy.ai tool. The AI identified the location in the video as Moscow, Russia. However, the software did not accurately determine the exact address.

The volunteers then reviewed the video frame by frame. At the third second, they captured a screenshot that contained key objects visible outside the window. This particular frame became the starting point for a thorough analysis and the search for the precise filming location.

Step Two: Analyzing the Objects

By analyzing the screenshot, several key objects in the frame can be identified:

1. The high-rise building from which the video was likely filmed. It has wide windows on the facade and narrow ones in the center.
2. A tall pole.
3. A building of an unusual (disproportionate) shape with a rounded protrusion.
4. A circular area with tram tracks.
5. A white rectangular booth with a square and a rectangular window.
6. Another booth, gray with blue inserts, a gray roof, blue doors, and a small square window.
7. A tree (at approximately the level of the 4th or 5th floor).

The window itself also plays a significant role in identifying the location.

Outside the window, you can see a wide windowsill running along both sashes: the narrow one and the wide one. The window is wooden and old, with a clearly visible worn-out handle. There are also blinds on the window. In the final seconds of the video, a mosquito net can be seen on the narrow sash. These are small but important details that can later be pieced together to estimate the floor level. But for now, let's return to the elements outside the window that we are analyzing.

The video also captures a blue bus and two trams. This is a significant clue and will become the starting point of the investigation. The volunteers gather information on all tram routes in Moscow, which will help them better navigate potential filming locations.

Step Three: Searching for the Trams

The next step involves checking the tram terminal stops. The volunteers compared these stops with the objects visible on the screenshot from the video. Unfortunately, none of the stops matched the necessary characteristics. This indicates that the filming location is not at the terminal points of the routes but somewhere along the tramway itself.

After the unsuccessful attempt, the volunteers decided to sequentially check all the tram routes. On Route No. 4, they came across a circular section that visually matched the objects seen in the screenshot. The volunteers focused on this area, where the tram tracks encircled several buildings.

By exploring this area in panoramic view mode and adjusting angles in Yandex, the Molfar community volunteers were able to determine the address of the building from which the video was filmed.

The address where the video was made: 111033, Moscow, Krasnokazarmennaya Square, Building 1.

Coordinates: 55.758551, 37.686705.

It turned out that the building at this address is serviced by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

JSC 11, a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Central Housing and Communal Administration" (FGKU "TsZhKU") of the Russian Ministry of Defense, is part of the structure responsible for providing housing and communal services to Ministry of Defense facilities. This service manages the operation and maintenance of buildings and structures belonging to the Ministry of Defense, including military towns, residential buildings, and other infrastructure.

The Federal State Budgetary Institution "Central Housing and Communal Administration" (FGKU "TsZhKU") oversees housing and communal facilities for the Ministry of Defense across Russia. Each branch, including JSC 11, has its own area of responsibility, which may cover specific regions or individual military facilities.

Step Five: Calculating the Floor

Now let's determine from which floor the video was filmed. Google Street View will assist in this. There are several photos available at the address near the building that can help with this. Here's one of the angles—directly opposite the curve of the tracks. Two poles are highlighted in yellow, and there are trees that resemble those seen in the video. Therefore, we are interested in the windows within the area marked by the red square in the screenshot below.

На Google street view за 2014 є фото будинку без листя на деревах. Це дає змогу точно визначити поверх.

Another angle from Yandex.

This window isn't the one we're looking for, as the air conditioner is quite wide, and we would have seen it in the video. It seems that the narrow window to the right of the air conditioner is the correct one. In the following photo, you can see that it is positioned directly opposite the top of the tree.

Here, on the windowsill of this window, sat the cat "Barmaley," who was filmed by the admin of the propaganda Telegram channel. This is the window from which the video was shot. At the beginning of the video, the cat appears to be looking between these two poles.

We determined that this is the fifth floor. This building is serviced by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Since the video was uploaded on December 11, 2023, it seems that at that time, the owner of the cat, who could also be the admin of the propaganda Telegram channel, was residing there.

Thus, using simple OSINT tools, the volunteers were able to pinpoint the location in the video. As we can see, even the simplest tools and methods, when applied with a careful and detailed approach, can lead to the successful resolution of complex tasks.

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