**Russian Army’s DIY Armored Vehicle May Be Faking It**
The Russian army in Ukraine is using a do-it-yourself armored vehicle, the MT-LB tractor, which may be pretending to have more protection than it actually does. The up-armored truck has been equipped with extensive defenses against Ukrainian drones, but some of these protections might be just for show.
**A Tragic Mix-Up**
For the Russian crew of this improvised vehicle, the possible fakery is a tragedy waiting to happen. If and when the vehicle’s fake defenses meet real Ukrainian drones, it could lead to serious consequences. On the other hand, for Ukrainian drone operators, the vehicular stagecraft is an opportunity to knock out another Russian vehicle.
**Russian Propagandist Highlights Repair Work**
On Sunday, Andrey Rudenko, a Russian propagandist reporting from occupied Donetsk Oblast, highlighted the work of mechanics repairing and modernizing military equipment. He showed how specialists were engaged in replacing engines and installing dynamic and anti-drone protection kits on tracked and wheeled vehicles.
**Kitchen Pots Disguised as Electronic Warfare Systems**
The video accompanying Rudenko’s report purports to depict an impressive example of a drone-hardened armored vehicle – a 1970s-vintage MT-LB tractor. However, experts have pointed out that the radomes for short-range jammers on this vehicle don’t match any known design and might even be kitchen pots painted to resemble military hardware.
**A Shortage of Real Electronic Warfare Systems**
Recently, it became apparent that some Russian regiments were bolting pots onto their armored vehicles due to a shortage of electronic warfare systems. To get around this, soldiers reportedly painted plastic dishwashing bowls and stuck them on the roofs of their vehicles.
**Deadly Theater of Fake Military Protection**
The use of fake jammers may help Russian troops get through military police checkpoints, but they won’t defeat Ukraine’s drones. This supposed “order” masks a serious problem for Russian forces, as it creates a false sense of security that could lead to devastating consequences when confronted with real threats.
**Experts Weigh In**
WarTranslated and ChrisO_wiki have shared images and videos highlighting the use of fake jammers by Russian troops. They note that these makeshift devices are useless against drones and may even be made from kitchen pots or other household items painted to resemble military hardware.
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