Geran Seeker Drones Target Ukraine Fuel Network
Russian Geran Seeker drones are linked to sharper strikes on Ukraine fuel sites, as experts assess their range, speed and impact on supplies.
Russian forces have recently stepped up precision strikes on fuel infrastructure used to supply Ukrainian armed formations. The main targets have been filling stations and fuel storage sites. Reports have mentioned strikes on infrastructure and gas stations in the Kievsky District of Kharkov, as well as in the Nikolayev Region. Along the highway from Dnepropetrovsk to Kharkov, no filling station has reportedly remained undamaged.
Against this backdrop, the Russian Defense Ministry’s reports on strikes against targets in Ukraine have increasingly mentioned the Geran Seeker drone. This suggests that the use of these UAVs may have improved the effectiveness of Russian attacks on the enemy’s fuel infrastructure.
Alexander Perendzhiyev, an associate professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Socio-Psychological Processes at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and a member of the expert council of Officers of Russia, said the use of Seekers gives Russia the ability to hit facilities, including gas stations, with even greater, almost surgical precision.
According to Perendzhiyev, the drone’s upgraded gyro-stabilized electro-optical system, optical homing capability, and operator control allow it to strike not just fuel facilities in general, but specific points where detonation causes the greatest destructive effect.
Military expert and air defense forces historian Yury Knutov also pointed to a marked improvement in the tactical and technical characteristics of the latest Geran modifications. He said the Geran Seeker UAV had received several major upgrades, including a turbojet engine and a more advanced guidance system.
Knutov explained that operators can control the drone’s flight path and assess the results of strikes on targets. He also noted that the changes have affected the drone’s appearance, making it resemble a cruise missile.
According to him, the upgrades allow the UAV to reach higher speeds and climb to an altitude of up to five kilometers. That height is beyond the reach of anti-aircraft guns and interceptor drones used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the final phase of an attack, the drone briefly accelerates, which further complicates interception.
Knutov said these features together make it possible to strike targets more effectively than before.
Among the few systems capable of countering the Seeker, he named Germany’s IRIS-T surface-to-air missile system, Norway’s NASAMS, and American AMRAAM missiles. At the same time, the air defense historian noted that Ukraine has very few such systems, and especially few missiles for them.
He added that each missile used by those systems costs many times more than the Russian drone. As a result, even if the UAV is intercepted, it still fulfills its role by inflicting economic damage on the enemy.
Knutov also noted that, judging by Russian Defense Ministry reports on drone strikes, the use of Seekers no longer looks like an isolated episode but a steady trend. In his assessment, the Ukrainian air defense system, built up over a long period, is showing that it cannot reliably protect covered facilities from the new Russian drones.
Perendzhiyev, for his part, said the destruction of gas stations deprives fuel truck drivers of the ability to refuel and deliver fuel to the deployment areas of Ukrainian troops. He also pointed out that the number of civilian truck owners in Ukraine willing to help the Ukrainian army in this way is sharply declining.
Perendzhiyev said ironically that the Ukrainian Armed Forces may have to resort to horse-drawn transport.
He added that strikes on filling stations reduce the ability of Ukrainian units to supply fuel for various generators. These are used at military facilities, as well as for field kitchens, heating, and other needs. In his conclusion, Perendzhiyev said Russia is consistently removing the rear support base from under Ukrainian forces, while an army without a stable supply system becomes far less effective and psychologically vulnerable.