Russia's Barbaric Geothermal Drone Scheme

"We, from our side, must do everything so that next year this war ends by diplomatic means. This is very important." 

"This is their approach [the United States], their promise to their society [quick deal between Kyiv and Moscow], it is also very important to them. He [Trump] is on the side of supporting Ukraine, he appreciates our strength, integrity and courage."

"[Ukraine should not be] left alone with the Russian Federation [to craft a solution to the conflict]. For us, the victory means a strong Ukraine. Whether that's in diplomacy or on the battlefield is another question."

"But we have already proved that 'sit and listen' rhetoric does not work with us. Sitting, talking and agreeing on nothing -- this is what is beneficial for Putin."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

A Ukrainian soldier examines a thermobaric drone launched by Russia  AP

 

A small number of highly destructive thermobaric drones have been created by a high-tech factory in central Russia. The same factory also produces huge swarms of inexpensive decoys. The use of the drones -- both the destructive models, relatively few in number due to the expense of production and the decoys produced in much greater number are an expression of a new tactic devised by Moscow to overwhelm Kyiv, forcing it to respond to all the drones in fear of one of the thermobaric types wreaking chaos and greater deaths. In the process of responding, the plan is for Ukraine to unnecessarily, out of caution, use its dwindling stock of defensive weaponry to shoot down the drones, expending in the process defensive funding. 

Vladimir Putin's mission to destroy Ukraine and reap the benefits of acquiring more Ukrainian territory to be folded into Greater Russia doesn't leave much hope for Russia to become a willing partner for peace  until its objectives have been achieved. At which time Ukraine will be geographically eviscerated at the cost of more lives and ruined civic infrastructure. And while Kyiv is anxious to protect the lives of its citizens, the Kremlin seems disposed to consider its fighting men expendable, including the new contingents of North Korean fighters now under Russian command.

Russia calls its drone scheme Operation False Target, its intention is to force Ukraine to needlessly use its scarce resources to save lives and hope to spare further destruction of critical infrastructure. As for distinguishing the relatively harmless drones from their look-alike thermobaric drones, it cannot be done by radar and even electronics experts cannot distinguish which drones fleeting through the skies are the deadly ones. Russia's is a devilish plan to continue on its path of destruction in Ukraine. The first weekend of November saw 20 hours in the Kyiv region under air alert. In October some 1,889 drones were launched by Moscow.

Over 50% of the drones that target Ukraine are unarmed decoys with up to 75% being produced out of a factory in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia; a highly sensitive industry. A deadly variant of the Shahed unmanned aircraft is also produced at the same factory, armed with thermobaric warheads. These vacuum bombs create a vortex of high pressure and heat capable of penetrating the thickest walls while sucking out all the oxygen encountered in their path. When they strike buildings Alabuga's thermobaric drones are particularly deadly since they are loaded as well with ball bearings to cause massive damage beyond the superheated blast.

These deadly drones are estimated to make up between 3 and 5 percent of all drones. Their physical effects on people even outside the initial blast site, are grotesquely lethal; collapsed lungs, crushed eyeballs, brain damage included. The human toll is of little interest to Russia, however. They see great conflict benefits in the drones' use. An unarmed drone costs much less than the $50,000 to produce an armed Shahed drone. Decoys with live-feed cameras also have their special functions, allowing geolocation of Ukraine's air defences, relaying the information to Russia just before they crash.

 

DJI Matrice reconnaissance drones, bought during 'The Army of Drones' program, are set up ready for test flights in the Kyiv region, Ukraine. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP via Getty Images)