Russia has started deploying new high-speed drones in its war of invasion in Ukraine, military officials from Kyiv said on Friday. The
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, the wreckage recovered from the Geran-5 long-range attack drone launched at the country in early January pointed to a number of new capabilities.
Local media reports indicate that two of the drones were downed this year—one in the vicinity of Kyiv and another near Dnipro.
The Geran-5, which runs on a Chinese-made turbojet engine, features a long cylindrical fuselage with attached wings. This design differs from earlier models derived from Iran’s delta-wing Shahed drone, giving it a more conventional aircraft-like appearance.
With a reported top speed of around 600 km/h the drone is significantly quicker than the earlier jet-powered Geran-3, which could reach speeds of under 400 km/h.
Members of Ukraine’s mobile small-arms air-defence units—who operate from pickup trucks fitted with machine guns to intercept drones—told the Guardian last year that the rising speed of Russian attack drones is creating growing difficulties, as the time available to engage them continues to shrink.
The Geran-5 is believed to have a range just short of 1,000 km and the capacity to carry a 90 kg payload. Analysts have speculated that Russia may be seeking to push the drone’s range even further by launching it mid-air from a crewed aircraft.
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