Sat Nov 16 11:59:59 IST 2024: ## Russia Unveils New Drone Warfare Tactic: Decoy Swarm Overwhelms Ukrainian Defenses
**KYIV, Ukraine (AP) —** A secretive Russian factory is mass-producing hundreds of decoy drones designed to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, an Associated Press investigation reveals. These decoys, deployed alongside thermobaric drones carrying devastating high-pressure warheads, are part of a new tactic codenamed “Operation False Target.”
The decoys, indistinguishable from armed drones on radar, force Ukrainian forces to expend precious resources making split-second decisions on which targets to engage. The thermobaric drones, capable of inflicting horrific injuries even beyond the immediate blast zone, pose an additional threat, with the risk of armed drones straying into residential areas.
The drones are manufactured at Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, a facility that has expanded significantly since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The factory also produces Iranian-designed Shahed drones, with production ramping up significantly since a $1.7 billion deal between Russia and Iran in 2022.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has seen a dramatic increase in drone attacks, with decoys now accounting for over half of the incoming drones. This tactic, combined with the use of more powerful missiles following the initial drone barrage, is putting immense strain on Ukrainian defenses. Even the decoys themselves are proving useful, with some equipped with cameras relaying the location of Ukrainian air defenses back to Russia.
Ukrainian forces are battling this new threat with portable surface-to-air missiles, but the sheer volume of drones, coupled with the destructive power of the thermobaric weapons, presents a significant challenge. The recent surge in attacks, culminating in 145 drones launched on Saturday, follows the re-election of Donald Trump and raises concerns about the future of US support for Ukraine.
First Piper 