Ukraine
Practice Relating to Rule 57. Ruses of War
Ukraine’s IHL Manual (2004) states:
1.2.44. … Ruses of war are not prohibited by international humanitarian law … Such ruses are acts which are intended to mislead an adversary (e.g. the use of camouflage, mock operations, misinformation, decoys).
…
2.1.11. During preparation and conduct of hostilities one should clearly distinguish between perfidy … and ruses of war.
Ruses of war are acts which are intended to mislead an adversary regarding the condition, position or character of actions of a unit, command, and build-up and to induce him to act recklessly. Such actions include:
- camouflage (using the terrain, camouflage paint, camouflage nets and smoke);
- actions aimed at active camouflage (creation of false targets, decoys);
- mock operations;
- misinformation;
- imitation of military objectives by technical means (electronic devices, means of communication, etc.);
- use of enemy codes, passwords and signals;
- fighting from ambushes;
- other non-perfidious actions.