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

Russia’s defense industry is producing around 3,000 Geran-4 and Geran-5 kamikaze drones per month, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (DIU) told Militarnyi in an inquiry published Wednesday, Aug. 12. According to the Militarnyi, the serial production of the drones has been established at a facility in Russia’s Yelabuga, within the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, while other Russian companies supply components for the production chain.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The growing use of the drones is linked to improvements in their flight characteristics, particularly their ability to overcome Ukrainian air defenses, according to the DIU. Russia expands production in Tatarstan Despite the current production rate, Russia’s Defense Ministry is seeking to further expand manufacturing capacity at Alabuga. Large-scale construction of new facilities was observed at the special economic zone in July 2026, according to satellite imagery cited by Militarnyi. Construction reportedly began in May, although the exact purpose of the new buildings remains unclear. The expansion comes as Russia prepares to increase its use of jet-powered attack drones. In June, then-Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said jet-powered drones could eventually account for 50% of Russia’s attack UAVs used in attacks against Ukraine. The latest DIU information provided to Militarnyi supports the assessment that Russia is increasing production of jet-powered variants of the Geran drone family. Other Topics of Interest Kremlin Removes Even Weak Opposition as Ukraine War Takes Toll Russia has removed its only anti-war party from the parliamentary ballot. The decision points to growing Kremlin anxiety, but neither Yabloko, nor the wider Russian opposition, are beyond criticism. At the same time, the intelligence agency said Russia has halted production of the Geran-3 jet-powered kamikaze drone. Geran-4 is faster and has a longer range The Geran-4 is based on the concept of the earlier Geran-3 but has a more powerful engine and an airframe optimized for higher speeds. The drone has a wingspan of around 3 meters and is approximately 3.5 meters long. Its maximum takeoff weight has increased from 350 to 450 kilograms. The Geran-4 uses a turbojet engine producing 160 kilogram-force of thrust, roughly twice the thrust of the Chinese Telefly JT80 used by its predecessor. According to Militarnyi, this allows the drone to reach a cruise speed of 350–500 kilometers per hour, compared with 280–330 km/h for the previous version. Its reported range has also increased from 600 to 850 kilometers. The Geran-4 can operate at altitudes between 100 and 5,000 meters and remain airborne for around 2.5 hours. Its warhead weighs at least 50 kilograms. Geran-5 resembles a missile The Geran-5 has a substantially different design from earlier members of the Geran family. Instead of the delta-wing configuration associated with Shahed-type drones, the aircraft has a fuselage shape more closely resembling a cruise missile. Militarnyi therefore describes the Geran-5 as a “missile-drone,” a category also being developed by Ukrainian defense manufacturers. The Geran-5 carries a 90-kilogram warhead and has a reported attack range of around 1,000 kilometers. It can also reportedly carry R-73 (NATO: AA-11, “Archer”) air-to-air missiles equipped with infrared seekers. According to the DIU, the Geran-5 can be launched from aircraft, including Su-25 attack aircraft. The growing production of Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones suggests Russia is seeking to supplement its large-scale Shahed-type drone campaign with faster and more capable systems that are more difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept. On Aug. 12 Kyiv came under a second Russian drone attack, with air defenses engaging jet-powered drones approaching the capital from multiple directions. Kyiv Post team members across the city and surrounding villages reported hearing loud explosions as Russia continued its near-round-the-clock aerial attacks against Ukraine. Earlier Russia targeted a shopping center in Zaporizhzhia overnight. The attack caused extensive damage to an Epicentr store, while overnight Russian attacks also killed two women in Kherson. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.