When a country is invaded by a foreign force, everyone in that country is affected.
This is why countries experiencing this may tap into whatever resources they have. From military personnel that are on-duty as well as those who are off-duty, like reservists. Countries can also make use of civilians to help defend their nation.
And this time, during Russia's invasion to Ukraine, Ukraine is getting a huge help from its civilians.
Among the civilians that helped, include Oleksiy Savchenko.
He was the one who helped the Ukraine government develop one of the most lethal and inexpensive weapons now used by thousands of Ukrainian service members.
And that weapon is called the 'Kropyva.”
The Ukrainian-made weapon is essentially a proprietary intelligence mapping software developed for planning, calculations, and orientation.
During its war with Russia, the Ukrainian people at the front line deploy this tool throughout Ukraine, by installing the software into tablet PCs provided by the Army SOS.
"'Kropyva' is becoming a must-have tool in demining our land," Army SOS website said.
Oleksiy Savchenko developed in back in 2014, when he was among the protesters whose months-long rallies in Kyiv that ultimately removed pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
At that time, in an act of revenge, Moscow annexed Crimea and stoked a separatist war in the southeast region of Ukraine.
This prompted Savchenko to gather like-minded activists, and helped founded a non-governmental organization called Army SOS.
Through the group, Savchenko managed to raise money to acquire items to aid in the conflicts, including flak jackets and other military gear, which can be given to protesters who volunteered to fight.
But since many of the members were separatists that are under-equipped and barely trained, those who were dispatched to the front line, needed more than just weapons.
Read: Ukraine Asks Underground Hackers For Help In Its War Against Russia
They need maps.
"Guys, give us maps, we need maps, we only have Soviet ones from the 1980s. Where there used to be a field is now a village or an apartment building," Savchenko recalled them saying.
As they are deployed towards the unknown, risking their lives for the sake of their country, they need to have a birds eye view to everything.
This is Kropyva comes into play.
Army SOS responded to their inquiry by providing a tech solution as an answer.
Kropyva is essentially a mapping tool, originally developed by a group of software developer in Kyiv.
What it does, is using satellite maps as the base of the software, and put essentials information on top of it, which can include Ukrainian military data.
The software can runs on cheap Android-based tablets, turning the consumer-grade items into an automated precision guidance system.
Using the tool, Ukrainian troops started seeing their surroundings better.
And this tool has come in handy in its war against Russia.
Because the tool also allows its users to measure distance and enter coordinates, Ukrainians at war could use it to calculate artillery fire, among others.
Sources of data can include drones and radar.
Kropyva can also make use of meteorological data, which include data such as speed and direction of wind, temperature and humidity.
If there is no web access, troops can use the tablets portable radio stations.
This is possible because Kropyva uses short-wave and digital radio stations compatible with NATO secure communication standards.
In short, the Army SOS' tool literally changed the entire system.
Whereas the Soviet-era mapping too required table calculations and manual data entry that can take up to 15 minutes to complete, Savchenko's solution eases the entire process.
Calculations made using the tools are instant, and data can be transmitted within seconds.
And if fallen to the enemies; hands, Kropyva allows remote access, in which data within it can be wiped from afar.
Even if enemies want to use the tablet as a counter-intelligence, the act would be not recommended because the tablets can also act as GPS beacons that can unveil location data.
Army SOS and the developers handed the software to the land units in the Ukrainian military, Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine free of charge.
According to the classification adopted in the NATO countries, “Kropyva” is a type C2 (command and control) system.
Kropyva, which is part of Ukrainian's resources in the war, helps its military from being demoralized.
The tool, among other tools the Ukrainian troops use, helps its personnel from being an underdog, making them a serious force of resistance.
Kropyva is an example of a private initiative and an effective use of civilian systems in the military.
“It’s fast and precise,” Savchenko said sitting in the group’s office in central Kyiv, crammed with boxes with new tablets and decorated with flags of Ukrainian military units signed by thankful service members.
“People came to a minefield. And came out alive” using a tablet with Kropiva, Antonina Baiura, a volunteer with the group, told Al Jazeera.
Unlike war weapons and tools governments tend to boast to their adversaries and the world, Ukraine government urged Army SOS to stay away from the mass media.
This proves how helpful this Kropyva tool is.
“The military asked us to get off the radar and not to be in the limelight,” Savchenko said. “But they don’t have an answer to [our] question about where we would get the money to fund the projects.”
“I am just a talking head. If I get killed, the process will go on,” Savchenko said.
The volunteers around him are civilians who never planned to work with the military – and will return to their daily lives after the war.
“We end the war with a victory,” he said, “and go back to our jobs.”
Further reading: Russia-Ukraine War On The Internet: Between Cyberattacks To Censorship, Encrypted Messages And More