Science & technology | Right there in black and white

In the Ukraine war, anti-AI tactics are producing bizarre forms of camouflage

A stylized illustration of a large cargo truck, representing transportation, logistics, or freight delivery.

Illustration: The Economist/Exilenova+

Jul 8th 2026|3 min read

IN RECENT MONTHS Russian military lorries in Ukraine have begun sporting a striking new colour scheme of vivid black-and-white stripes. As camouflage goes, it is not much use against human observers. But then, it is not intended to fool biological eyes. Its aim is to frustrate the machine-vision systems that are fitted to the Ukrainian drones that zip around battlefields looking for prey.

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In the Ukraine war, anti-AI tactics are producing bizarre forms of camouflage