Russia deploys new Geran-5 jet-powered drone against Ukraine, intel says
At the start of the year, Russian forces used a new Geran-5 attack drone against Ukraine for the first time, military intelligence (HUR) reported on Jan. 11.
The unmanned vehicle, which resembles the Iranian-designed Karrar drone, utilizes the Telefly jet engine, though with a greater thrust than the Geran-3 model, according to HUR.
Attack drones play a key role in Russia's aerial campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, which escalated in recent weeks as Moscow seeks to knock out the country's energy grid.
The new drone is approximately 6 meters (20 feet) long with a wingspan of 5.5 meters (18 feet). Unlike other Geran models — which are based on the Iranian Shahed drones — the Geran-5 is built in a conventional aerodynamic configuration.
Other features resemble those of earlier models in the series, including the 12-channel satellite navigation system Cometa, and a tracker based on the Raspberry Pi microcomputer and 3G/4G modems, HUR said.
The drone can carry a 90-kilogram warhead and has a claimed range of almost 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), meaning it could potentially reach any point in Ukraine.
According to Ukraine's intelligence, Russia is considering fitting attack aircraft like Su-25 with Geran-5s to increase their range. Equipping the drones with R-73 air-to-air missiles to counter Ukrainian aircraft is also being considered, HUR said.
As Russia seeks to modernize its drone fleet, Ukraine is also developing new tactics to counter Russian aerial strikes.
Apart from using Western-supplied air defenses, Ukraine has ramped up production of interceptor drones, designed to counter Russian Shaheds.
Just over the past week, Russian forces launched close to 1,100 strike drones against Ukraine, as well as 890 guided aerial bombs and 50 missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 11.
