• Resident Fellow for Security Research

Ruslan Trad

Ruslan Trad is a Resident Fellow for Security Research at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab).

Ruslan is interested in Eurasia, Syria, conflicts, hybrid warfare, and mercenary groups. Before joining DFRLab, he worked as a risk analyst, consultant, and freelance journalist. In recent years, he has worked in the field of OSINT investigations and due diligence reports. Ruslan is also author and co-author of three books and a wide range of articles related to the Syrian Civil War, Russian foreign policy, and security.

Ruslan is a member of the Association of European Journalists–Bulgaria and is co-founder of De Re Militari, a Bulgarian online journal for conflict analysis. During his journalism career he was a correspondent in several countries including Lebanon, Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Thailand.

In 2014 Ruslan was awarded Activist of the Year by the Helsinki Committee for his Syria war coverage. Ruslan’s articles can be found in Bellingcat, BBC, Carnegie Middle East Center, New Lines Magazine, Die Presse, European Eye on Radicalization, Vocal Europe, Bild, Vocativ, IB Times, Der Standard, Muftah, Internazionale, Al Jazeera, and others.

January 2023

Russian War Report: Pro-Kremlin sources amplify forged diplomatic letters targeting Ukrainian refugees

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

As Russian shelling of Ukranian forces and civilian infrastructure continues, Ukraine receives the first of many tanks promised by NATO allies.
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January 2023

Russian War Report: Wagner Group fights French ‘zombies’ in cartoon propaganda

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Plus, more on Wagner's power struggles with the Russian defense ministry and Russia's apparent use of incendiary munitions in Kherson.
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January 2023

Russian War Report: Russian military bloggers criticize Putin’s Orthodox Christmas ceasefire announcement

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

In the first days of 2023, Russia shelled civilian infrastructure in Ukraine before Russian President Putin called for a 36 hour ceasefire to observe Orthodox Christmas.
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