In a field outside Moscow, workers armed with little more than green fabric and air compressors are creating an imposing weapon. A sleek, slate-gray MIG-31 fighter jet suddenly appears, its muscular, stubby wings spreading to reveal their trademark red star insignia. It is a decoy, lifelike in appearance from as close as 300 yards.
This trick is another entry in Russia’s repertoire of deceit and disguise, known as maskirovka, a psychological warfare doctrine that’s becoming an increasingly critical element in the country’s geopolitical ambitions.
