Russian Factory Producing Decoy Drones to Target Ukraine Amid Escalating Conflict
KYIV, Ukraine – A covert factory in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone is ramping up production of decoy drones designed to confuse and overwhelm Ukrainian defenses, according to an Associated Press investigation. Alongside these decoys, engineers are also manufacturing thermobaric drones, which utilize warheads that create intense heat and pressure, posing new threats to Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
The operation, labeled “Operation False Target,” was conceived in late 2022, intending to launch armed drones alongside numerous decoys that appear similar on radar. Ukrainian forces now face a challenging dilemma as they must quickly discern real threats amongst a swarm of unarmed drones, with unarmed models now constituting over half of incoming threats.
In the past few weeks, intense air alerts have been reported in Kyiv, with drone swarms creating a pervasive atmosphere of anxiety. Despite most drones being intercepted or destroyed, some manage to breach defenses, causing fatalities. The strategic use of drone swarms aims to exhaust air defense systems ahead of launching more advanced missile strikes.
Alabuga’s factory, which has pivoted to military production post-2022 invasion, reportedly churns out approximately 40 decoy and 10 armed drones daily. The drones feature components sourced largely from China and other countries, despite ongoing sanctions. The factory’s operations have also been criticized for allegedly misleading workers recruited from Africa.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the challenge, affirming that the influx of drones is aided by Western technology circumventing sanctions. The introduction of thermobaric drones, around 3-5% of the total production, exacerbates the danger. Experts warn of their devastating effects, causing widespread fear among civilians due to their destructive capacity even beyond the blast zone.
Source
Photo credit www.latimes.com
