British Intelligence Uncovers Russian Deception Tactics in Ukraine War

The British intelligence has revealed that the Russians are employing familiar tactics in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Satellite images have shown a painted mock-up of a submarine in the port of Novorossiysk, laid out on the concrete.

According to a report cited by the Military Portal, these tactics aim to deceive Ukrainian drone pilots. This strategy isn't new; it has found its roots within the Russian air force since the war's onset. Initially, painted mock-ups of airplanes were spotted on the tarmacs, a deceptive practice now observed in Novorossiysk. Notably, in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, located in Krasnodar Krai, decoys resembling Su-34 aircraft were painted. Furthermore, at the Engels air base, after a recent Ukrainian drone attack, images of Tu-95 bombers were found painted on the ground.

In an innovative twist, Russians have now painted a submarine-like shape in one of their ports, adjacent to a Project 887 ship measuring approximately 230 feet in length. Why adopt this approach? A plausible reason might be the estimated 30% loss of the Black Sea Fleet by the Kremlin. This depletion forces Russia to deploy fewer ships in the Black Sea, necessitating decoys to confuse potential Ukrainian attackers, including aviators. Moreover, these mock-ups not only aim to protect the remaining operational units but also to conceal losses by presenting a facade of unscathed military strength.

It's important to note that mock-ups primarily deceive observations made through low-quality imaging devices. For a "regular" camera observer, the ship's shape and color could indeed be misleading. However, this facade falters under more sophisticated surveillance, such as thermal imaging, which can differentiate actual vehicles from decoys based on their heat signatures.