Images: Russian tire tactics, false planes failed to save your plane

The satellite imagery of the four Russian air bases which were attacked by Ukraine on Sunday shows how Moscow tried to use deceptive tactics to protect its fleet of strategic bombers.

The images, captured by the American Company of Commercial Satellite Imagery Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider, show that Russia had a lot of its bombers covered with tires and other objects in the previous days and weeks The Ukrainian operation.

The forces of Moscow also painted false planes on the tarmac and used debris to create lure plans.

Ukraine SBU, its internal security agency, said it has used small quadcopter drones for Hit 41 Russian planes In the daring operation, more than 18 months in preparation. These aircraft include early alert and control plans A-50 Airborne, AN-12 carriers, IL-78 supplies and bombers TU-95, TU-22M3 and Tu-160.

Drones Operation of air pools Through Russia, in particular Belaya in the Irkutsk region, Olenya in the Murmansk, Dyagilevo region in the Ryazan and Ivanovo region in the Ivanovo region. Ukrayka in the Amur region would have been targeted but not struck.

Different types of deception tactics Can be seen in the satellite imagery of the five sites at different times before the attack.

Brady Africk, an open source intelligence analyst, told BI that since the start of the Russian large-scale invasion, Moscow forces have “added flat lure aircraft to many air bases and placed tires above planes stationed in order to confuse the targeted systems of Ukrainian weapons.”

Africk said that new satellite images show that Russia “also placed debris above flat lures and positions solid objects on the shape of a rough” in what looks like an “apparent attempt to increase the chances of misleading Ukrainian weapons”.

Africk said that Russia’s flat lure plane – in some cases, they are just simple Silhouettes; In others, they are painted to look like planes to which they are intended to look like – are not easy to see in satellite imagery based on radar that the Ukrainian army is Understood to be used.

“It clearly emerges from the number of planes destroyed that the attack on Ukraine against these bases was very successful, despite attempts at deception in Russia,” he said.

New video sequences of the attack show drones hitting planes with tires in place.

A “devastating blow” to Russian aviation

The Ukrainian attack was complex and very different any other deep strikes in the scope and the scale. The SBU said that planning started over a year and a half ago. The agency introduced the smuggling of quadcopter drones wrapped in explosives in Russia, then sent wooden containers to host them.

In Russia, the agents hid the drones in the containers, which were placed on trucks and led to positions near the bases. Sunday, the summits of the containers were opened remotely, allowing drones to fly simultaneously and attack their targets.

The SBU said that the attack had withdrawn a third of Russia cruising missile carrierscausing more than $ 7 billion in losses. Lieutenant-General Vasyl Malyuk, the agency chief, described him as a “devastating blow” to the aviation of Moscow and a “serious slap” to the projection of power of the Kremlin.

BI could not independently verify the details reported in the operation, including the number of damaged or destroyed aircraft, and the cost of losses. The Russian Ministry of Defense has recognized but minimized the attack.

The targeted bombers were used in devastating strikes against Ukraine throughout the conflict. These planes can travel long distances and transport heavy useful loads.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 117 first -person drones (FPV) and because many operators were involved in the massive attack. He said that planning and organization “were perfectly executed” and called it “an absolutely unique operation”.

The attack highlights the growing role that cheap drones and surprise play in modern war. One of the air bases that has been affected, Belaya, is more than 2,500 miles from the Ukrainian border, demonstrating the long range of kyiv and its ability to pass the Russian defenses.