Ukraine found a way to trap Russians - The Guardian

"In a dusty workshop, a unique group of Ukrainian weapons experts race to produce artillery guns that will never be fired, radar trucks that cannot detect anything, and missiles without explosives. The pieces are decoys that aim to draw Russian fire, wasting enemy ammunition, missiles and drones while protecting real equipment and the soldiers manning it."

The mock-ups of military equipment are crafted from plastic, wood offcuts, foam, and metal. The success of this unconventional production is measured by how quickly the finished products are destroyed since, to become a target for the enemy, they must look identical to real military equipment.

"When the military come to us and says 'we are out of these', it means we were totally successful in our job," says one of the specialists at Metinvest (the names of individuals and the location of the production are not disclosed).

The evidence of success is stored in a cabinet in the workshop, filled with items such as engines and crushed fragments of Iranian drones called Shahed and a damaged wing from a Russian drone called Lancet – both lured by the mock-ups manufactured here.

The idea of producing bait weapons belongs to three top managers of the company, dating back to the early days of the war when it seemed that the Ukrainian military was poorly equipped. The business shareholder, Rinat Akhmetov, personally approved the project.

"We thought if the Russians saw a lot of weapons, they might be scared to move forward, or to shell an area. It's a psychological weapon," says one of the top managers.

The ready-made mock-ups are easily transported for assembly at the front, where, for example, an "artillery gun" can be assembled in just 20 minutes.
Metinvest announced the production of mock-ups of military equipment designed to deceive the enemy at the end of August.

Within the "Steel Front" military initiative by Rinat Akhmetov, over 250 such mock-ups have already been delivered to the frontlines. The production continues. The businessman has directed over 6 billion hryvnias to aid the Ukrainian military and civilians since Russia's full-scale invasion began.