In October 2024, Russia intensified its use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in attacks against Ukraine, deploying more than 200 drones. Approximately half of these unmanned aircraft are decoy drones, employed to distract and overwhelm Ukrainian air defense systems (ADS). One of the primary decoy drones is the “Parody,” which is actively used by the aggressor during aerial assaults.
On November 10, 2024, two “Parodia” drones crashed on the territory of Moldova, raising alarming signals about the dangers these devices pose. The first drone was discovered in the morning near the village of Firleden in the Cahul district, while the second was found close to the village of Borosenii Noi in the Rîșcani district. According to police reports, both drones did not contain explosives, but their role in military operations is extremely significant. Research on the “Parodia” drones has revealed that even simple constructions that appear “plywood-like” cannot be independently manufactured by Russia.
The drone’s flight control module contains components sourced from companies in China (Ebyte, Jiashan Jinchang Electron, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic Technology), the USA (Texas Instruments, Cypress Semiconductor, InvenSense), Switzerland (STMicroelectronics), and Taiwan (SONiX Technology). This indicates that even in their decoy drones, Russia relies on imported technologies, casting doubt on its ability to independently produce modern military equipment. According to data from a Ukrainian aviation monitoring group, one of the drones crossed the Moldovan state border at 04:48 AM, moving westward. These UAVs are used to divert fire from Ukrainian ADS away from Shahed-type kamikaze drones attempting to strike strategic targets in Ukraine. On the night of November 10, Russia carried out a record attack during which 145 aerial targets were identified, including numerous Shahid drones.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that they managed to shoot down 62 aerial targets and recorded 67 hostile UAVs that were destroyed in various regions of Ukraine. Other drones left Ukrainian airspace, heading toward Moldova, Belarus, and Russia. Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi confirmed that both found drones were decoys to distract the attention of the air defense systems. He strongly condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and emphasized the importance of international support in countering these threats. The use of decoy drones like “Parodia” demonstrates new tactics in warfare, where technologies and psychological manipulations play a significant role. This also underscores the necessity of strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, as combating such modern threats requires constant improvement of air defense systems and international cooperation in the security sphere.
In the context of contemporary warfare, the use of drones has become a critical element of strategies employed by both sides. The Ukrainian air defense, responding to new challenges, is rapidly adapting to the conditions in which decoy drones attempt to disorient defense systems. The involvement of foreign technologies in the production of Russian “Parodia” drones also highlights the global nature of modern military conflicts, where national and international interests intertwine. In light of these events, Ukraine needs not only to enhance its defensive capabilities but also to actively collaborate with partners to acquire new technologies and strategies that will effectively counter emerging forms of threats. This includes not only the development of technologies but also the improvement of management systems and coordination of actions among various units. Thus, the “Parodia” drones and their use in the war against Ukraine are indicative of not only military tactics but also Russia’s technological dependence on foreign manufacturers. This situation creates new challenges for Ukraine’s defense, which require urgent responses and adaptation to the evolving conditions of warfare.
