{
  "id": 9325735,
  "title": "Russian Drones Over Kyiv – War of Speed and New Deep Strike Tactics",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/russian-drones-over-kyiv-war-of-speed-and-new-deep-strike-tactics",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T11:33:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Post",
    "slug": "kyiv-post",
    "url": "https://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/85122"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Russia's \"Shahed\"/Geran\" drones continue to target Ukraine's civilian cities almost non-stop, including shopping malls, gas stations, energy infrastructure, food warehouses, office centers and other civilian facilities. The increased use of jet-powered Geran 4 and 5 variants has replaced the earlier piston-engined drones. In 2025, Ukraine recorded around 180 uses of these jet-powered drones, with August alone seeing approximately 2,800 launches. Russia has transitioned from a largely experimental weapon to a tactic of mass deployment.\n\nWhile Ukraine has effectively intercepted conventional Shaheds—interception rates reaching 90-95%—the jet-powered drones present a more complex challenge, with current interception rates around 60%. Russia's success underscores the principle of modern warfare: the race to implement new technologies faster than the enemy. The repeated changes in tactics aim to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses, perpetuate panic, and identify weak points in Ukrainian defenses. Attacks on civilian and military infrastructure in major cities disrupt the country's functioning, creating economic impacts and reducing the country's financial capacity. In Kyiv, the capital cannot operate normally when air-raid alerts last for hours, disrupting logistics, causing people to move to shelters, and suspending business operations.\n\nBeyond physical damage, these air attacks aim to destroy residents' morale by striking storage facilities to cause shortages and supply disruptions. Drones can also serve as reconnaissance tools, gathering data on Ukraine's air defenses, routes, response times, and intercept systems. While not all drones are designed for destruction, their ultimate goal remains inflicting harm on Ukraine.\n\nThe variety of drones, including jet-powered aircraft, poses a more demanding challenge for Ukraine's air defenses due to their high speed and altitude. This requires the use of fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missile systems, and interceptor drones. Russia's arsenal includes various types of jet-powered drones with different ranges and warheads. Recent attacks on Kyiv involved \"mother drones\" that act as carriers for smaller, faster, and more maneuverable first-person view (FPV) drones. Despite limited use so far, this tactic may become a game-changer for Ukraine, necessitating the development of countermeasures before they become widely deployed.",
  "summary": "As Russia steps up its continuous attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine’s cities with increasing numbers of jet-powered Shahed drones, Ukraine is having to focus on adapting on current and future technological threats.",
  "key_points": [
    "Russia intensifies drone attacks on Ukrainian civilian cities.",
    "Jet-powered Geran 4 and 5 variants replace earlier piston-engined drones.",
    "Kyiv's air defenses struggle against high-speed, high-altitude jet drones."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}