From blowable tanks to counterfeit aircraft: How do Ukraine and Russia deceive each other?
Arab Defense site – September 7, 2025: In the war between Russia and Ukraine, the battles are no longer resolved with weapons, but also by deception. From inflatable wooden tanks to fake guns and fake photo, the two parties use thousands of models to drain the enemy’s munitions and deceive its radars, in a war where reality overlaps.
In June 2023, a video clip began spreading on Russian social media channels, apparently showing a plane destroying a Ukrainian tank in a huge explosion.
But not everything that is seen in the war of Russia and Ukraine is true.
This video was followed by a Ukrainian clip showing a soldier laughing, pointing to the burning debris, saying: “They have hit my wooden tank!”
The tank in question apparently was just a fake wooden structure made by the Ukrainian army to deceive the Russians.
It is one of the thousands of counter -models with the full size of the military equipment, which is used by the two parties, Ukraine and Russia, to deceive the enemy and force him to waste ammunition, time and effort.
All that is seen on the confrontation lines – from small radars and grenade launchers to jeeps, trucks, tanks, and even soldiers – may be false.
These traditions may come in the form of flat combinations ready for installation, inflatable models, two -dimensional, or radar deception devices across the unlike wireless waves in a special way.
In some types of weapons scattered in Ukraine, it is estimated that at least half of them are counterfeit models.
“Flat” defender is assembled
One of the most popular counterfeit models of the Ukrainian army is the figures of the British -made Hauteer defender “M777”. Western allies are believed to have provided Kiev with more than 150 pieces of these very accurate and quick -motor guns, which Ukrainian soldiers call the “Three Axes”.
As with many types of equipment used by the Ukrainian army, volunteers play a fundamental role in providing these models.
He says Silmanco is his volunteer group “Na Chosh” alone made and provided Ukrainian forces with about 160 models of M777 defender. And he confirms that what makes her very required is the ease of its composition: “It takes only three minutes, by two people and without tools.” “No matter how many, all of them will be used effectively.”
For his part, Pavlu Narouni, from a group of other volunteers called “Richtienna Bushta”, says that it is manufactured between 10 and 15 models at any time.
These models are made of plywood (Control), and come in ready -to -make boxes, and cost between $ 500 and $ 600.
As for Russia, it is often targeted by the enlightened suicide “Lancet” aircraft, one of which is about 35 thousand dollars. “Calculate the difference for yourselves.”
He points out that one of his models nicknamed “Tulia” withstood more than a year in the front, and was exposed to at least 14 Lancet aircraft, but the soldiers “were re -collected using adhesive tape and elasticity, and then returned to the front lines.”
Traces of wheels and toilets
Many depend on how to publish these models. In order to successfully lure the enemy fire, you must simulate the real site in all its details, from the effects of wheels and ammunition boxes to the toilets. And when this is perfectly carried out, it may be deceived by it, not only the enemy, but even the visiting officers.
“It happened that a visiting commander came and asked: Who issued the matter to publish the artillery? Where did the M777 defender come from?
He adds that one of the other tricks is to quickly remove the real cannons after being released, such as mortar shells, and replacing them with counterfeit models.
He confirms: “It is ideal for deceiving the enemy and making it wasting exorbitant resources for nothing. It is effective and we need more of them.”
Russia’s arsenal of deception
Russia, in turn, has a wide range of misleading models.
The Ukrainian army says that about half of the drones participating in the recent Russian air attacks are not real, but rather a cheap tradition.
“The matter is currently equally: 50% of real witness aircraft, and 50% of counterfeit aircraft. Their function is to exhaust our air defenses, and we will force us to launch exorbitant missiles on drones that almost not cost anything,” says Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri. “Sometimes it is just a piece of wood that looks like making school students.”
However, in the atmosphere, the Ukrainian radar screens appear completely identical to the aircraft of the murderer, as the colonel confirms.
One of the Russian companies, Rusbal, produces a variety of models that include two -dimensional figures to deceive spy or air reconnaissance satellites, models that mimic the heat emitted from engines or wireless signals from communication devices, in addition to reflectors that mislead enemy radars.
Soldiers can also be imitated. Volunteers from the “Popular Front” movement loyal to the Kremlin in Novosibersk made dolls wearing military uniforms. And to delude the Ukrainian heat cameras as real human beings, the trunk is wrapped with a heating wire under the jacket.
But of course, the idea of fake models is not new in wars.
During the preparations for the landing of the Normandy (D-Day), a fictitious entire military group was established in Britain, equipped with false tanks and counterfeit aircraft, as part of a major deception plan to hide the reality on the ground and give the allies the element of surprise necessary to launch the attack.
Military technology has evolved tremendously since World War II. Unmanned enlightenings and systems on the battlefield are one of the prominent innovations in this war.
However, no matter how modern the weapons of destruction, deception and resourcefulness – even if with a bumpy bench – remain an integral part of the arts of war.
The article appeared from inflatable tanks to counterfeit planes: How do Ukraine and Russia deceive each other? First on the Arab defense site.
