Satellite images show several bombers and fighters operated by Moscow’s forces with car tires placed on their wings and the top of their fuselage while stationed at Engels Air Base in Russia’s Saratov Oblast.

According to Schuyler Moore, Chief Technology Officer of US Central Command, the tactic likely aims to disrupt incoming attacks by confusing image-matching weapons searching for hostile aircraft.

“If you put tires on top of the wings, all of a sudden, a lot of computer vision models [will] have difficulty identifying that that’s a plane,” she said during a recent discussion about artificial intelligence (AI) and technology.

Previous analyses suggest that the tires were meant to break up the aircraft’s infrared signatures so incoming missiles would miss their targets. Others speculated that they may be for added protection.

Brace yourselves, because russians have once again showcased unparalleled innovation. What you are looking at is a satellite image featuring a TU-95 strategic bomber covered with car tires. According to them, this should protect strategic bombers from drones pic.twitter.com/ZjDDzRPOWf

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) September 3, 2023

A Problem With AI-Driven Targeting

Moore’s analysis of Russia’s deception attempt is reportedly part of a broader discussion about AI-driven targeting.

She noted that some weapons rely on pre-set data and image matching to find targets.

Without effective adaptations, an adversary could simply swap or modify their assets to confuse existing targeting systems.

“We’re not saying that we need to have our own internal AI development team. What we need is for our users to better be able to engage with the models that exist out there,” she explained.

“So that means they need to be able to label new data sets that they think are relevant to them. They need to be able to push those labeled data sets to then retrain a model to look for something different.”

The rooftop tyre infection appears to be spreading around the Russian Air Force, now seen here on an Su-34. pic.twitter.com/ysXW96hINL

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 8, 2023

War Deception Tactics

This is not the first time Moscow has employed unusual deceptive strategies during its invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this year, the Russian military painted images of fighter aircraft on the tarmac of its airfields to mislead Ukrainian forces.

According to a UK Ministry of Defence intelligence report, at least 12 Russian air bases employ the same tactic, demonstrating the country’s large-scale use of deception.

Ukraine has also employed decoys of high-value assets to dupe Moscow into believing it had successfully destroyed them.

The post Russia Covering Warplanes With Tires to Confuse Ukraine Missiles: US Official appeared first on The Defense Post.

Moscow appears to be mounting a counter-offensive in the region, claiming to have retaken at least a dozen villages from Ukraine’s control since last week.

Authorities have decided to order the “obligatory evacuation of settlements in the Rylsky and Khomutovsky districts that are within a 15-kilometer (9-mile) zone adjacent to the border with Ukraine,” Governor Alexei Smirnov said on Telegram.

He did not say which villages would be evacuated or the number of evacuees. There are dozens of villages and towns within this 15-kilometer radius.

More than 150,000 people in the region have had to flee their homes since Kyiv’s offensive began on August 6, state media reported Smirnov as saying last week.

Ukraine says its forces have advanced across tens of kilometers of Russian territory and seized dozens of settlements, including the border town of Sudzha.

Ukraine’s incursion – which began more than two years after Russia launched a full-scale military assault on its neighbor – caught Moscow off-guard.

It is the biggest incursion by a foreign army on Russian territory since World War II.

The post Russia Evacuates Border Villages in Kursk Region appeared first on The Defense Post.

From Thursday morning to afternoon, the Russian Tu-142 aircraft flew from the sea between Japan and South Korea towards the southern Okinawa region, according to a defense ministry statement.

They then travelled north over the Pacific Ocean and finished their journey off the northern island of Hokkaido, it added.

The planes did not enter Japanese airspace but flew over an area subject to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, a ministry official told AFP on Friday.

“In response, we mobilized Air Self-Defence Force fighter jets on an emergency basis,” the statement said.

The last time Russian military aircraft circled Japan was in 2019, the official said, but that incident involved bombers that did enter the nation’s airspace.

Earlier this week, Russian and Chinese warships began joint drills in the Sea of Japan.

The drills are part of a major naval exercise that Russian President Vladimir Putin has described as the largest of its kind in three decades.

Russia and China have ramped up military cooperation in recent years, with both railing against what they see as the US domination of global affairs.

They declared a “no limits” partnership shortly before Moscow launched its offensive in Ukraine in 2022.

Japan also scrambled fighter jets in late August when a Chinese military aircraft “violated” its airspace, according to the defense ministry.

The two-minute incursion into Japanese airspace by the Y-9 surveillance aircraft was the first ever by a Chinese military plane, local media reported at the time.

Since the start of the Ukraine conflict, relations have deteriorated sharply between Japan and Russia, which both claim the Kuril Islands – known in Japan as the Northern Territories.

The Soviet Union seized the strategically located volcanic archipelago north of Hokkaido in the final days of World War II, and has maintained a military presence there ever since.

The post Japan Scrambles Jets as Russian Recon Aircraft Circle Country appeared first on The Defense Post.

Citing data from the federal budget, local media outlet Important Stories claimed that 166,000 people had signed up for the Russian armed forces in the first half of 2024.

This is significantly higher than the 26,700 it recruited during the same period in 2023.

The number is expected to increase further to 190,000 by July 2024, according to Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.

The alleged increase in Russian military strength comes amid reports that it is now struggling with a depleted force, as Moscow has reportedly lost more than 350,000 troops since launching its invasion in February 2022.

Enticing Offers

The massive rise in Russian military recruitment is largely credited to the staggering bonuses offered by the government for those willing to fight in Ukraine.

In July, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin issued a new decree that would give a 2 million rubles ($22,000) sign-on bonus to city residents who voluntarily join the military for at least one year.

Potential recruits are also promised to receive a monthly income of up to 700,000 rubles ($8,961), more than 10 times the average wage of 63,060 rubles ($807).

In case of death or injury, soldiers and their families can receive up to 3 million Russian rubles ($34,000) in compensation.

In total, Moscow reportedly spent 3 trillion rubles ($32.9 billion) so far in payments to soldiers participating in the war starting June 2023.

The post Russian Army’s Tempting Offers Paying Off as Recruitment Surges Sixfold appeared first on The Defense Post.

Russia’s ministry of defense said in a statement it had shot down 144 Ukrainian drones overnight – “72 UAVs over Bryansk region, 20 over Moscow region, 14 over Kursk region, 13 over Tula region,” and 25 more over five other parts of the country.

Moscow regional governor Andrey Vorobyov said in a Telegram post that a 46-year-old woman had been killed and several people wounded in the strikes.

But an earlier statement in which he reported the death of a 9-year-old child was still “not confirmed,” he added.

As a result of the attack, four airports servicing Moscow – including major hubs Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo – had canceled or delayed flights on Tuesday morning, according to state media.

In Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, “the enemy carried out a massive terrorist attack,” regional Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said on Telegram, adding “there were no casualties or damage, all attacks were repelled.”

Ukraine and Russia routinely carry out nighttime drone attacks on each other’s territory.

Advances in East

The latest wave of drones came as Moscow continued to claim incremental gains in Ukraine’s east more than 30 months into its offensive, and as Kyiv’s forces pressed their incursion into Russia’s region of Kursk.

Russia on Monday said its forces had captured another Ukrainian village, Memryk, seen as a stepping stone to the Kyiv-held logistics hub of Pokrovsk some 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.

Pokrovsk lies on the intersection of a key road that supplies Ukrainian troops and towns across the eastern front and has long been a target for Moscow’s army.

Kyiv had launched its Kursk offensive on August 6 aiming to force Russia to redeploy troops pressing forward in the east, but Moscow has appeared to intensify its attacks there.

Moscow has also kept up its own aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, including on key energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

Three Russian drones were shot down above Ukraine’s Sumy overnight, the regional military administration said early Tuesday, while air defenses were also activated around Kyiv.

The military administration in the capital later said there were “no consequences after the Russian UAV attack.”

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk condemned Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities on Monday.

Ukraine’s population was enduring “ongoing attacks by the Russian Federation striking civilian facilities like hospitals, schools, and supermarkets, and repeated waves of targeting of energy infrastructure,” Turk told the UN Human Rights Council.

“I fear for Ukrainians this coming winter,” he said.

The post Ukrainian Drone Wave Grounds Flights, Kills One Near Moscow appeared first on The Defense Post.

The Ukrainian army, for its part, made rapid gains in early August in Russia after a surprise incursion into the border region of Kursk, gaining more than 1,100 square kilometers (424 square miles) in two weeks.

But this new front has been solidifying to between 1,150 and 1,300 square kilometers (444 and 501 square miles) of advances over the past 15 days, according to the data on claimed and confirmed troop movements.

In August, Russian troops advanced 15 square kilometers (5.7 square miles) per day in Ukraine, mainly in the eastern region of Donetsk.

Most of the gains were toward the logistical hub of Pokrovsk, and as of late Sunday the army had come to within less than seven kilometers (4.4 miles) of the city.

The last time that Moscow took as much territory in a month was in October 2022, in response to a major Ukrainian counteroffensive around the northeastern city of Kharkiv, at a time the front line was much more mobile.

Since the beginning of 2024, Moscow has resumed its push into Ukrainian territory, gaining 1,730 square kilometers (667 square miles), three times more than in 2023, when its gains were wiped out by Ukrainian counteroffensives.

But over the past months Kyiv’s troops have struggled to counterattack on their own territory.

Ukrainian forces have won more territory than they lost to the Russians on only eight days so far in 2024, and then usually only several square kilometers.

Russia occupied 66,266 square kilometers (25,585 square miles) of Ukrainian territory as of September 1.

Along with the Crimea Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, and zones of eastern Ukraine already under control of pro-Russian separatists before the 2022 invasion, the advances confirmed or claimed by Moscow cover 18 percent of Ukraine’s 2013 size.

The post Russia’s August Advances in Ukraine Biggest Since October 2022 appeared first on The Defense Post.

The soldier, who spoke to Japanese public broadcaster NHK on condition of anonymity, said the intelligence data was used to monitor Russian movements so Ukraine’s forces could safely and efficiently carry out the cross-border attack.

Without getting into specifics, he explained that the information was “detailed” and directly obtained from Western satellites.

The spokesperson highlighted the significance of the intel, saying none of the operation would have been possible without the satellite aid.

‘Thoroughly Executed’

Earlier this month, the Ukrainian military carried out a surprise incursion into Russia’s western region, advancing over at least 800 square kilometers (308 square miles) of enemy territory.

Russian military observers claimed that Kyiv’s forces skillfully used drones and jammers to down Moscow’s surveillance capabilities and limit its border defense.

According to the spokesperson, it was indeed drones and space-based assets that allowed the military thorough reconnaissance of the region before attacking.

When they ensured it was safe to enter, Kyiv’s forces reportedly advanced in small groups, but all movements were fast to avoid being detected.

The soldier also noted that the operation was covert, with those not involved in the planning left unaware it was taking place.

Psychological Battle

In addition to Western intel, the brigade spokesperson said that a misinformation campaign worked against the invading forces.

Before the start of the incursion, Kyiv deployed some of its forces in the Sumy region bordering Kursk to pretend they were expecting an enemy attack there.

Moscow allegedly bought the deception, allowing Ukrainian soldiers to advance successfully.

He said the entire operation was a tactical and psychological battle to demoralize the enemy.

The post Ukrainian Soldier Reveals Western Intel Aided Kursk Incursion appeared first on The Defense Post.

The DC-based think tank said in a recent report that Moscow’s response to the Ukrainian offensive inside its territory was being hampered by overlapping command structures, which are causing “friction” and “confusion” among its forces.

For example, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov appointed his deputy minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov deputy of a coordinating council tasked with organizing the military response to the incursion in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk.

Belousov also tasked five people to address specific issues related to the incursion, such as logistics, military-technical support, civilian evacuations, and medical support.

Additionally, Russia created three groups of forces to protect civilians from drone strikes and other attacks in those regions.

According to the ISW, this redundant structure will likely create additional confusion within the Russian defense ministry as it battles advancing Ukrainian forces.

“ISW continues to assess that complex and overlapping responsibilities and the seemingly ever-growing list of actors the Kremlin has tasked with responding to the Ukrainian incursion [that impedes] Russia’s ability to establish effective joint command-and-control structures,” the report noted.

‘Russia Plans to Respond’

Speaking during an event in Kyiv on August 21, Ukraine military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said his forces had successfully advanced more than 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) into Russia’s Kursk region.

They also reportedly captured 1,263 square kilometers (488 square miles) of Russian territory and 93 settlements.

But despite Moscow’s seemingly dysfunctional military command, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GRU) said the invading forces certainly have a plan in place for an all-out response.

“The operation is ongoing. Russia is planning a response. There are plans, we know about them. Our government and military leadership know about them so they can continue [the operation] and disrupt the [Russian] plans,” GRU deputy head Vadym Skibitsky said.

The post Russia Struggling With Dysfunctional Military Command: Think Tank appeared first on The Defense Post.

This was announced by Oleksii Drozdenko, the head of military administration in northeastern Ukraine, on the 12th day of Kyiv’s surprise offensive inside the enemy territory.

According to Drozdenko, many of the captured soldiers are young conscripts tasked with guarding the southwestern Russian border.

Some of them also admitted that they did not want to fight the advancing Ukrainian troops.

The high number of Russian prisoners of war and the relatively low number of casualties on Kyiv’s side only prove that the cross-border offensive has been a major success so far, Drozdenko told The Guardian.

“On the first day of the operation, there were only 15 casualties. Sixty, seventy percent of them were very light, caused by bomb damage, shrapnel,” he said.

Replenishing ‘Exchange Fund’

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has referred to captured Russian soldiers as Kyiv’s “exchange fund,” which will be used for better prisoner swap negotiations with Moscow.

He said the successful operations in Kursk have been contributing to the rapid replenishment of this so-called exchange fund.

“I thank all the soldiers and commanders who are taking Russian soldiers prisoner and thus bringing the release of our soldiers and civilians held by Russia closer,” Zelensky stressed.

Last month, Ukraine and Russia exchanged 95 prisoners of war each, the 54th swap between the two countries since the invasion began in February 2022.

But the biggest swap happened in January when Kyiv said 230 Ukrainian soldiers had been freed from Russian captivity in exchange for 248 captured Russian troops.

“No matter how difficult it may be, we are looking for everyone who may be in captivity. We have to return everyone,” the president said.

The post Ukraine Capturing 150 Russian Soldiers Daily in Kursk Incursion: Official appeared first on The Defense Post.

Former president and parliament member Petro Poroshenko handed over the large batch of volunteer aid to the Ukrainian Defense Forces for its units in Russia’s Kursk region.

Among them are 1,205 first-person view (FPV) attack drones, as well as 51 daytime and 17 nighttime DJI Mavic unmanned aerial vehicles.

Twelve ATVs were also delivered for assault troops and the evacuation of wounded soldiers.

Additionally, the donation includes nine Shatro 50-1M EW systems designed to provide increased troop protection against Russian kamikaze drones.

According to its manufacturer, the system forms a dome of radio frequency interference with a radius of up to 250 meters (820 feet). It emits 50 watts of power.

Ukrainian units in Kursk were also given a new excavator, a Foden truck, and makeshift shower facilities.

The Kursk Incursion

Earlier this month, Kyiv’s forces launched a surprise attack on Russia’s western city of Kursk.

They reportedly used drones and jammers to down Moscow’s surveillance capabilities and advance into enemy territory.

A week after the incursion, Ukraine had advanced over an area of at least 800 square kilometers (308 square miles) and seized control of several Russian towns, according to data released by the Institute for the Study of War.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that the attack was meant to create a “buffer zone” to prevent further Russian strikes across the border.

With the push expected to continue over the next few weeks, Poroshenko reiterated the need to support Ukraine’s frontline forces by providing them with the necessary weapons and equipment for their operations.

“We cannot comment on their work, but we can continue our cause to help. Because we support the armed forces wherever they are,” he said. “All this equipment will do its job for the advancement of our troops.”

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