Russia has developed a strategy to confuse Ukrainian air defense systems using a combination of armed drones and decoys. The operation, dubbed “False Target,” aims to put as much strain on Ukrainian defense assets as possible, forcing them to make split-second decisions that make it harder to protect the population and key infrastructure.
In recent days, Russia has carried out some of its most intense airstrikes since the beginning of the war. A record 145 drones and dozens of missiles were used, with Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine being hit hard. The attacks were aimed at destroying critical infrastructure and causing further blackouts before the winter.
Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept many of the attacks, but not all, resulting in serious damage and civilian casualties. The Kremlin is escalating its actions to exhaust Ukrainian defense resources and cheap decoys play a key role.
New tactics from Russia
In a secret factory in the Russian steppes, engineers are producing combat drones and fabric- or foam-filled dummies. The dummies are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing on radar, forcing the Ukrainian military to devote its limited resources to shooting them down.
Combat drones, in turn, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and destructive. Russia is reportedly installing new-generation thermobaric ammunition in Iranian Shahed drones. When such weapons explode, they create a shockwave that reacts with the air, creating a fireball with a temperature of 2,400–2,600°C.
The effectiveness of these explosives in enclosed spaces is much higher than that of conventional explosives, making them extremely dangerous to people and infrastructure.
Russia escalates attacks
Operation False Target began in late 2022, but as Ukraine’s defense assets become more depleted, Russia is stepping up its use. This strategy poses a serious challenge for Ukraine, which is already struggling with limited resources and having to protect both military and civilian facilities.
In October, Moscow launched 1,889 drones against Ukraine, 80 percent more than in August, according to an AP analysis. The factory in question is producing approximately 40 unarmed decoy drones every single day.
Even those drones that are not armed can deliver real-time surveillance information and help provide target information on Ukrainian air defense systems right up until the moment they are hit by an air defense missile.
