For Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian Defense Ministry released a series of videos showing Russian combat systems that, for various reasons, had not previously been publicly demonstrated.

One of the main episodes was the launch demonstration of the newest, fifth version of the Geran-5 loitering kamikaze munition. In terms of its tactical and combat characteristics, and even the aerodynamic shape of its body, this strike drone is already much closer to a cruise missile than to the classic UAVs of earlier modifications.

The jet-powered Geran-5 is about six meters long and has a wingspan of 5.5 meters. The drone is capable of delivering a 90-kilogram charge to a distance of up to 1,000 kilometers while reaching speeds of more than 500 kilometers per hour.

Because of its large dimensions, the drone requires a special long stationary launch rail. The published footage shows the aircraft being mounted on a frame, after which, during acceleration and liftoff, the landing gear trolley separates from the drone.

The first reports of Russian forces using the jet-powered Geran-5 to strike rear targets at varying distances from the line of contact appeared late last year. Since then, reports about the new UAV successfully hitting various targets have become increasingly frequent, including from the opposing side.