An emergency medical team collects the body of a victim who died after the Russian attack in Kiev, Ukraine on October 26. (AP)

KYIV, Ukraine, Nov. 16 (AP): A high-tech factory in central Russia has created a new, deadly force to attack Ukraine: a small number of highly destructive thermobaric drones surrounded by huge swarms of cheap foam caps. The plan, which Russia dubbed Operation False Target, is intended to force Ukraine to devote scarce resources to saving lives and preserving critical infrastructure, including by using expensive anti-aircraft weapons, according to a person familiar with Russia’s production and a Ukrainian electronics expert who hunts. them from his specially equipped van.

Neither radar, snipers, nor even electronics experts can tell which drones are deadly in the skies. Unarmed decoys now make up more than half of the drones targeting Ukraine and as much as 75% of new drones coming out of the factory in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, according to the person familiar with Russia’s production, who spoke at condition of anonymity because the industry is very sensitive, and the Ukrainian electronics expert.

The same factory makes a particularly lethal variant of Shahed’s unmanned aircraft armed with thermobaric warheads, the person said. During the first weekend of November, the Kiev region spent 20 hours under air alert, the sound of buzzing drones mixing with the pounding of air defenses and rifle fire. In October, Moscow attacked with at least 1,889 drones — 80% more than in August, according to an AP analysis that tracks the drones for months.

On Saturday, Russia launched 145 drones over Ukraine, just days after Donald Trump’s re-election cast doubt on US support for the country.

Since the summer, most drones crash, are shot down or are diverted by electronic interference, according to an AP analysis of the Ukrainian military briefings. Less than 6% reached a discernible target, according to data analyzed by the AP since late July. But the sheer numbers mean that a handful can slip through each day – and that’s enough to be deadly.