Jet-powered Geran drones shift Russia’s air war

Russia’s jet-powered Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones, derived from Iran’s Shahed design, fly faster and farther with AI-guided targeting and anti-jamming tech. Centralized mass production enables rapid field deployment and lower costs than missiles, allowing strikes on warehouses, ports and oil facilities. Ukraine intercepts of these jets are around 60%, lower than for older models, pressuring Kyiv to bolster air defenses and adopt counter-drone measures. If Moscow sustains production and access to foreign propulsion tech, it could become a leading low-cost cruise-missile producer, potentially tilting the air war in Russia’s favor.