Primary and official sources
Wherever possible we rely on primary sources: official statements, procurement records, company filings, defence ministry and agency releases, contract notices and named, on-the-record interviews. We prefer to link to original documents so readers can check them.
Verification
Significant claims are checked against more than one credible source before publication. Where a detail cannot be independently verified, we attribute it clearly and describe the limits of what is known rather than presenting it as established fact.
Attribution
We attribute information to its source and link to it where a public version exists. We do not present others' reporting as our own, and we credit original reporting where we build on it.
Anonymous sources
Named sources are always preferred. We use unnamed sources only where the information is in the public interest, cannot reasonably be obtained on the record, and the source is in a position to know. In such cases we take responsibility for assessing the source's reliability.
Open-source material
Satellite imagery, imagery from social platforms and other open-source material can be valuable but is treated with caution. We seek to confirm authenticity, date and location before relying on it, and we are transparent about uncertainty.