Russia Produces 3,000 Geran-4/5 Drones a Month, Ukraine Says

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (DIU) reported to Militarnyi on August 12 that Russia's defense industry is currently manufacturing approximately 3,000 Geran-4 and Geran-5 kamikaze drones each month. The production of these drones takes place at a facility in Yelabuga, within the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, Russia, with component suppliers coming from other Russian companies.

The increasing use of these drones is attributed to enhancements in their flight characteristics, particularly their ability to circumvent Ukrainian air defenses. Despite the current production rate, the Russian Defense Ministry aims to further expand manufacturing capacity at Alabuga. Recent satellite imagery from July 2026 indicates large-scale construction of new facilities in the special economic zone, with construction activities beginning in May, although the specific purpose of these new structures remains undetermined.

This expansion coincides with Russia's intention to incorporate jet-powered attack drones into its arsenal, as announced by former Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky, who predicted that jet-powered drones could comprise up to 50% of Russia's attack UAVs targeting Ukraine by June. The DIU's latest intelligence corroborates the belief that Russia is augmenting its production of jet-powered variants of the Geran drone family.

Conversely, Russia has ceased the production of the Geran-3 jet-powered kamikaze drone. The Geran-4, a successor to the Geran-3, boasts a more potent engine and an airframe optimized for heightened speeds. Measuring around 3 meters in wingspan and approximately 3.5 meters in length, the Geran-4's maximum takeoff weight has been increased from 350 to 450 kilograms.

Its turbojet engine, capable of generating 160 kilogram-force of thrust, is roughly twice as powerful as the Chinese Telefly JT80 utilized in the previous version. Consequently, the Geran-4 can achieve a cruise speed of 350–500 kilometers per hour, as opposed to 280–330 km/h for its predecessor. Its reported range has also expanded from 600 to 850 kilometers.

The Geran-4 is capable of operating at altitudes ranging between 100 and 5,000 meters and can remain airborne for approximately 2.5 hours. Its warhead weighs at least 50 kilograms. In contrast, the Geran-5 exhibits a distinct design compared to its predecessors. Rather than featuring the delta-wing configuration characteristic of Shahed-type drones, the Geran-5 possesses a fuselage shape more akin to a cruise missile, earning Militarnyi's description of it as a "missile-drone."

The Geran-5 is equipped with a 90-kilogram warhead and has an estimated attack range of around 1,000 kilometers. Moreover, it may carry R-73 air-to-air missiles, featuring infrared seekers. According to the DIU, the Geran-5 can be launched from various aircraft, including Su-25 attack aircraft. The escalating production of Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones implies Russia's objective to supplement its extensive Shahed-type drone campaign with more agile, potent systems that are increasingly challenging for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept.

On August 12, Kyiv experienced a second Russian drone attack, with air defenses engaging jet-powered drones approaching the capital from multiple directions. Kyiv Post team members in the city and surrounding villages reported hearing loud explosions as Russia continued its nearly continuous aerial assaults on Ukraine. Earlier, Russia targeted a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia overnight, causing significant damage to an Epicentr store, and also resulted in the deaths of two women in Kherson.