Ukraine “ruse of war” tactics

(MENAFN) Recent developments in the Russian border regions of Bryansk and Kursk turned deadly when bridge collapses involving trains resulted in seven fatalities and numerous injuries. These events were not caused by natural disasters or random mishaps. Instead, they have been officially recognized by Russian authorities as deliberate sabotage. Reports suggest that those responsible were likely acting on Ukraine’s behalf, which may explain the lack of substantial coverage in much of the Western media. Moscow, for its part, has classified the incidents as acts of terrorism.

In a separate but related escalation, Ukraine also launched a coordinated series of drone strikes targeting major Russian military airfields that same day. Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency celebrated the operation as a significant win. “Genius,” “vulnerable,” and “almost defeated”—these are some of the terms used in Western discourse to describe Russia following the attacks, as some commentators enthusiastically embraced Ukraine’s version of events. These responses seem to reflect more of a longing for good news than a grounded military analysis. As the article puts it, “Despair makes imaginative. In the wrong way.”

While the full impact of the drone operations remains unclear, it is confirmed that Ukraine targeted facilities across five different Russian regions, stretching from the country's center and north to remote areas like Siberia and the Far East. Notably, these drone swarms did not originate from Ukrainian territory. Instead, they were launched from within Russia using civilian trucks and deceptive tactics. Under the framework of International Humanitarian Law, this may not qualify as a lawful “ruse of war.” Instead, it could be seen as an instance of “the war crime of perfidy,” though this legal distinction has received little attention in most Western analysis.

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