Russia mass-produces high-speed jet drones to challenge Ukraine

Russia is mass-producing high-speed jet-powered kamikaze drones, known as Geran 5, which are posing significant challenges to Ukrainian air defense systems. These drones can reach speeds of approximately 600 km/h and carry an explosive payload of 90 kilograms. They are designed to bypass multiple layers of anti-aircraft defenses more effectively than older models equipped with piston engines.

According to Ukrainian intelligence data cited by Reuters, Russian factories in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan are producing roughly 3,000 of these attack drones per month. The technical advancement has already resulted in successful strikes, including an incident in Kryvyi Rih where a drone hit a shopping center, resulting in 16 deaths.

While Ukraine has previously used creativity to counter Russian numerical superiority, the increasing volume and speed of these new Russian drones represent a critical gap in current interception capabilities. Ukrainian Air Force data suggests that four out of ten attacks using this type of aircraft successfully reach their targets.