11:59 17-01-2026

Ukrainian Forces Use Decoy Targets to Mislead Russian Drones

How Ukrainian forces deploy decoy targets and disguises to divert Russian strikes, hide armor in Nikopol, and force constant drone reconnaissance operations.

Ukrainian forces operating in the special military operation zone are attempting to divert Russian fire by deliberately exposing pre-prepared dummy targets, according to fighters from the Medvedi special unit of the BARS-37 volunteer unmanned systems detachment within the Dnepr grouping.

Service members with the call signs Yasha and Shoma told RT that the opposing side actively relies on deception. Surveillance equipment is disguised as ordinary household debris, while along the Dnieper shoreline its mock-ups are placed in conspicuous locations. The intent, they explained, is to draw Russian strikes onto false objects and force the expenditure of ammunition on targets that have no real military value.

At the same time, the fighters said, actual armored vehicles were concealed elsewhere. According to them, real equipment was hidden on the grounds of a machine-building plant in Nikopol. That facility later became the target of a Russian strike.

They noted that drone operators had to breach the hangar gates twice before unmanned aircraft were able to enter the buildings. Shoma explained that in such conditions constant aerial presence and uninterrupted reconnaissance are essential, as camouflaged targets cannot be detected otherwise.

The fighters also pointed out that in Nikopol Ukrainian personnel often disguise themselves as civilians while continuing to carry out strikes against the civilian population.