Dummy targets fool Russians, costing millions in Iskander missiles

The Russian Federation recently announced successful attacks on a Ukrainian airport with parked planes in Kryvyi Rih and the destruction of a Patriot complex near Yuzhne. However, in both cases, the targets were dummy models.

Both Russians and Ukrainians use dummy military equipment. This is not surprising—it's a tactic known for many decades and used in various conflicts, including during World War II.

The Russian military employs dummies and decoys, including in seaports. For instance, British intelligence recently spotted a painted-on concrete dummy submarine in Novorossiysk. Photos of painted airplanes on airport tarmacs often appear on social media.

The primary objective of using dummies is to draw the enemy’s attention to an essentially worthless target. The Ukrainians successfully executed this tactic by reporting that Russians struck two objects. According to the Russian Federation, these were planes at the Kryvyi Rih airport and a Patriot missile system near Yuzhne. However, as stated by Gen. Mykola Oleschuk, commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, the strikes recorded in Russian videos show the shelling of decoys—according to Defense Express.

It is noteworthy that Russian propagandists claimed they used expensive Iskander missiles, costing around $3 million each, during the attacks. The Ukrainian losses would have been much more costly if they were real. However, the Ukrainian military clarified that the attack only hit decoys. Oleschuk thanked everyone involved in creating high-quality aircraft and air defense dummies. He added that the Russians now have fewer Iskander missiles due to the recent attacks. He also announced that more dummies will soon appear in Ukraine.

According to recent calculations by analyst Olexander Musienko, Russians produce about 85-90 Iskander and Kinzhal missiles each month. However, the monthly production of Iskanders is estimated to be around 40 units, although factory output may have increased to prepare the Russian military for combat with F-16s.

The Iskander missiles are ballistic missiles, each over 23 feet long, with a diameter of just under 3 feet. The most popular variant in Russia is the Iskander-M. Additionally, there are versions labeled "K" and "E." The Iskander-M variant weighs around 11,000 pounds. The maximum range of Iskanders is approximately 310 miles, and the speed achieved by a single missile after launch reaches Mach 7, or about 5,340 mph. The accuracy of the Iskander in terms of CEP is about 98 feet.