Russia Claims to Have Developed 'Invisibility Suit': Camouflage isn't a "modern" concept – as efforts have been made for eons to conceal a soldier on the battlefield. But it was only really in the 19th century as European armies moved away from colorful uniforms to more muted colors, and the first "camouflage" in the form of "khaki" emerged in British-ruled India. It was only during the First World War that greater efforts were made to mimic nature.

In the century since, camouflage has steadily improved, but so has the technology designed to spot the enemy – including at night. While the naked eye can't easily spot a soldier moving through thick brush in the dark, night vision goggles and other optics can aid in spotting such targets.

Russia Making Soldiers Invisible – Sort Of

The Kremlin is now claiming that it is developing a suit that can dilute the silhouette while also protect from being picked up by thermal optics and heat seekers. Officials at the Russian-based HiderX have claimed the suits, which are now undergoing trials, could practically make a soldier invisible.

"We design a completely new product – a camouflage suit that dilutes the silhouette. It is a completely Russian technology that coats the fabric with a specific mixture. It is our knowhow and we shall not disclose the details. The suit screens the surrounding temperature of the objects. It effectively camouflages Russian soldiers against hostile heat seekers," a HiderX official told Russian state media outlet Tass.

The designers also noted that most currently available camouflage suits do not fully conceal the wearer.

"We learned to hide the object from a heat seeker, conceal its heat signature. The products are used in commando units. The camouflage suit makes a soldier look like an unnatural object. Heat seekers see the silhouette diluted. We took pains to develop the suit. Trials are ongoing and have to be completed by the end of January," HiderX's official added.

Creature Comforts

The fabric material weights just 350-grams and can be compacted enough to be carried in a pocket. It could enable Russian troops to hide from thermal imaging equipment – while also being comfortable for extended periods.

"Most of them isolate heat and are inefficient in a long time," the official added. "We use the screening technology to avoid negative consequences. The heat exchange goes naturally as the fabric breathes."

HiderX hasn't disclosed what material its suit is made from, but the so-called invisibility cloak (Cloak-Nevidimka) resembles a large trench coat with a hood.

"The material itself has three layers: first, an internal layer, reflecting infrared (IR) radiation from the user's body; second, the middle layer, absorbing IR radiation; and an external, layer, reflecting IR radiation from the external environment," Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst and the author of Putin's Playbook, told Fox News Digital. "Cloak-Nevidimka was created at the RKhBZ Academy, which stands for Radiological Chemical Biological Defense."

Russia hasn't exactly been coy about concealing that it is developing a concealment cloak.

"There's a reason why the Russians want us to know that they’ve got this," Koffler added. "It doesn't mean they are lying."

Kyiv is also reported to be developing its own suits that could help conceal its troops at night. It would seem that both sides want the other to know that its forces could be present but not seen.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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