Iskander missile costs up to $4M whereas decoy it destroys is worth up to $25,000 - Ihnat

Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yurii Ihnat said this on Ukrainian Radio, Ukrinform reports.

He noted that military airfields are constant targets for the enemy. The enemy wants to break through the Ukrainian sky and ensure the unhindered activity of its aviation, which will allow Russian forces to advance much more easily, Ihnat said, adding that this is why the priority of closed skies and air defense is very serious for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"The enemy has a sufficient number of means of aerial attack and is developing in this direction. In addition to active means of defense (Patriot, NASAMS, IRIS-T guided missiles), which are extremely few in Ukraine, we need passive defense measures – these are shelters, camouflage, and decoys. Such tactics of passive defense are used not only by the Air Force, but also by all Defense Forces," he said.

According to Ihnat, fake military equipment is used to force the enemy to waste their resources. Such decoys are produced both in Ukraine and abroad.

"Now it is extremely important to preserve our equipment so that there are several decoys per combat unit. Dummies are also combat units that are manned by humans. Their main task is to mislead the enemy. The enemy spends up to $4 million to launch one Iskander missile. The decoy costs up to $25,000, which is much cheaper than one Iskander. If we talk about a Kinzhal, then a missile of this type costs up to UAH 500 million [about $12 million]," he said.

At the same time, Ihnat emphasized that the point is not even about money, but about the fact that Ukrainian forces deprive the enemy of means and at the same time protect their equipment and people.

"The decoy is a vehicle that can drive and has signs of real technology. One decoy costs from $10,000 to $25,000, which is almost equal to the cost of one used car. It's not as much as it seems. After all, the decoy has a metal frame, an engine, and most importantly, it should be similar to the original, and this is already handmade," he said.

Ihnat also noted that Western aid packages, in addition to military equipment, also include decoys.

Photo: mil.in.ua