On July 18, the Russian defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, directed troops to focus on destroying Ukrainian artillery and long-range missiles. Among these weapons, the HIMARS system stands out—an accurate ballistic launcher mounted on a truck chassis and supplied by the United States. Experts say it helped Kyiv blunt the momentum of the Russian invasion. Early this year the ministry claimed to have destroyed as many as 35 of those launchers, yet the Ukrainians reportedly received only about 20 units at that time. How is that possible?
The answer may lie in a surprising place: the Czech Republic. Inflatech, a Czech company, told a local media outlet that no more than a third of the destroyed HIMARS missiles were real; many were inflatable replicas used at public events or as decoys, essentially large bouncy castles. Inflatech has developed not only inflatable missiles but also models of tanks, armored vehicles, and even warplanes, all made from synthetic materials.
Inflatech has not confirmed selling its products directly to Ukraine, though it has admitted supplying its models to several governments around the world since the start of the war. The company introduced more than 30 different inflatable designs, and its production has surged by well over 100 percent.
confuse the enemy
This tactic aims to mislead opponents by making fake launchers appear real from a distance. Shooting at inflatable decoys wastes time, ammunition, and money. The cost of a decoy ranges from about $10,000 to $100,000, far cheaper than the missiles used to strike real targets. Without binoculars and a distance of 150–200 meters, observers might not distinguish a toy from a weapon, according to Vojtech Fresser, Inflatech’s CEO, speaking to AFP.
Deploying these inflatables in the field is relatively simple. The decoys weigh between 25 and 90 kilograms, requiring two to four soldiers to move them into position and inflate them with a blower in roughly ten minutes. The same heat from the blower can trick a foe’s thermal or infrared sensors, creating another layer of misleading signals.
Despite their almost comic appearance, these inflatable devices are treated as military equipment. Export requires government authorization, a process that can take around 60 days after an order is placed. Since February 24, 2022, the Kremlin has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, a context in which decoys may play a supporting role for Kyiv and its allies.
Reports from Washington Post last August indicated that Ukraine might also be using wooden replicas of HIMARS launchers, as noted by senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials.
tactics with history
Russia has reportedly explored similar deceptive tactics in the past. On January 26, the Ukrainian General Staff posted photos claiming to have destroyed inflatable boats used by Russian forces. Verification of such tactics remains difficult, as neither side discloses every method used on the battlefield.
Deception in war is not new. In World War II, Allied forces used decoys to mislead German intelligence. At Calais, inflatable tanks and landing craft were deployed to suggest that the invasion would begin there, drawing German attention away from Normandy. The resulting distraction helped shape the course of the war, a reminder that misdirection can influence strategic outcomes even if the truth behind the decoys is never fully known.