Retired analyst on Ukrainian troop movements and deception tactics

A retired military analyst, Lieutenant Colonel Andrei Marochko, affiliated with the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic, stated that units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are attempting to deceive Russian intelligence. His assessment centers on the use of familiar equipment and patterns that could mislead observers into misinterpreting a defensive posture as an offensive move. Marochko explained that certain settlements and the surrounding terrain were selected to create a visual impression for foreign surveillance teams, suggesting a broader tactic of misdirection rather than a straightforward military maneuver. He pointed to indicators such as the same makes and models of military vehicles, identical plate details, and towed artillery pieces that share distinctive features, arguing that these similarities serve as counterintelligence signals designed to confuse analysts about the true disposition of Ukrainian forces. The purpose, according to him, was deliberate deception aimed at complicating the interpretation of troop movements by Russian intelligence services. (Agency sources, 2024)