Russia has intensified attacks with jet drones that fly faster and higher than Shahid propeller that he has used for years against Ukraine. The Geran-4 and Geran-5 reduce response time ukrainian army and they make the use of cheap interceptors difficult, forcing us to resort to fighters and anti-aircraft missiles. As explained in August by the spokesperson for the Air Force ukrainian Yurii IhnatRussia used five times more jet drones in July than the previous month.
The drone family Geran comes from Shahed-136an Iranian propeller drone that Russia manufactures as Geran-2. He Geran-3 already incorporated jet propulsion in 2025 following the design of the Shahed-238also Iranian and with the same structure as the previous Shahed/Geran, while the Geran-4 introduces one adapted to support higher speeds than previous models.
Ukrainian military intelligence, known as GURplaces the first attacks by Geran-4 last May while Geran-5 had already been detected in January.
The redesign of the Geran-4 responds to the fact that ‘the structural strength (of the previous model) was insufficient for high-speed flight and, even more so, for maneuvering under high G forces’explains the GUR. It now features ‘greater aerodynamic efficiency, a reinforced structure and a turbojet engine with greater thrust’. ‘The wings are now permanently integrated into the center section of the wing. To reduce air resistance, the number of technical access logs in the fuselage has been minimized,’ the agency adds.
The Geran-5 has an elongated fuselage, more like a missile, with wings and tail which differentiates it from the well-known triangular silhouette of its predecessors. The GUR points out similarities with the Karrar Iranian and attributes speeds of between 450 and 600 km/hsome 950 kilometers range and up to 6,000 meters of altitude.
The differences also affect the size and load that both models can carry. According to the GUR, the Geran-5 measures 6.5 meters and has a warhead 90 kilosin front of the 3.6 meters and 50 kilos of the Geran-4.
Scrapping of a Geran-4
A report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has shown the interior of a Geran-4 recovered in Ukraine. The journalists found a Chinese engine, American components of Texas Instruments and a camera with night and infrared vision, 10x optical and digital zoom up to 32x.
RFE/RL takes apart a Russian Geran-4 drone to uncover what makes the jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) faster, harder to intercept, and capable of operating deep inside Ukraine — from its turbojet engine and advanced camera to foreign-made communications and navigation… pic.twitter.com/WGNdlpS9w1
— Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) September 25, 2026
However, the benefits attributed to the Geran-4 differ between the report and what the GUR says. RFE/RL signals up to 500km/h and 8,000 meters altitude, while Ukrainian intelligence collects 350km/h and 4,000 metersexplains The War Zone.
The copy included two GSM modems to transmit your position using SIM cards and a Chinese modem for mesh networks. The latter allows you to send video almost in real time and for several drones to retransmit the signal between them to extend the range.
Russia had already adapted previous versions of the Shahed to incorporate cameras and remote human control. These devices allow an operator to observe the terrain and guide the attack if connected, although most Geran automatically continue flying to programmed coordinates and dive towards the target.
More Russian production and new Ukrainian interceptors
Russia has expanded manufacturing of the Geran-4 and Geran-5 over the past few months, according to estimates by Ukrainian military intelligence. While in May the GUR indicated a joint capacity of up to 500 units monthlyRussian plans for September included manufacturing 1,200 Geran-4 and 800 Geran-5in addition to 2,700 Geran-2according to military sources cited by RBC-Ukraine.
The Ukrainian response against the last Geran includes fighters F-16anti-aircraft missiles and the development of interceptor drones capable of reaching faster targets. Resorting to more expensive weaponry increases the cost of defense and consumes already limited missile reserves, but interceptor drones have proven very effective against propeller-driven Geran and much cheaper than other options. They have also managed to shoot down Geran-3 jet drones, but their speed makes these operations difficult.. With the new Geran-4 and Geran-5, the demands on defense systems increase.
Last week, Zelensky assured before the UN General Assembly that their forces have been successfully tested four jet interceptors against the most recent Geran. Separately, the Ukrainian company Wild Hornets claims to have managed to shoot down Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones with its Stinga high-speed quadcopter. The company specifies that these are the first combat tests carried out by a few units.