Russia Deploys Thermobaric Drones with Decoys in Ukraine
The new strategy aims to exhaust Ukrainian defenses with indistinguishable decoy drones and potent thermobaric weapons.
Overview
- Russia's Alabuga factory is producing both thermobaric drones and decoys as part of 'Operation False Target.'
- Thermobaric drones, known for causing severe injuries, now make up 3% to 5% of Russia's drone arsenal.
- Decoy drones, indistinguishable from armed drones on radar, force Ukraine to use valuable resources to neutralize threats.
- In October, Russia launched 1,889 drones at Ukraine, an 80% increase from August, with decoys constituting over half.
- The production of these drones follows a 2022 Russia-Iran deal, with drones being built in Russia's expanded military facilities.