Russia’s armed forces have gained an additional edge over the Ukrainian military following upgrades to the Geran family of unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the US-based Military Watch Magazine (MWM).

The magazine reports that Russia has modified the Geran-2 drones to carry air-to-air weapons. Specifically, the UAVs are now being fitted with Igla man-portable air defense systems, a change that introduces a new threat to Ukrainian aviation. MWM notes that Ukrainian officers have already alerted their aircraft crews to the risks posed by these upgraded drones.

Sources cited by the publication inside Ukraine say the Geran drones have demonstrated capabilities not previously observed on the battlefield. They are now able to strike maneuvering and mobile targets close to the line of contact, rather than being limited to static objectives. In addition, the drones have reportedly begun performing close air support missions in direct coordination with Russian ground forces.

MWM also highlights the tactical impact of using simple, line-of-sight data transmission channels. This approach, the authors argue, significantly increases the effectiveness of Geran strikes against rear-area infrastructure, artillery positions, and air defense assets. The expansion of drone production has further strengthened this advantage, allowing the Russian Armed Forces to deploy sufficient numbers of UAVs, including for attacks on secondary targets across the battlefield.