Military analyst and retired colonel Mikhail Khodarenok said Russian forces have begun actively using new Geran-4 jet-powered drones in strikes on Ukraine.

According to him, these UAVs are almost twice as fast as earlier versions, making them considerably more difficult to intercept. Khodarenok argued that the Ukrainian Armed Forces lack enough interceptors capable of effectively engaging targets with such flight characteristics.

He also identified autonomous terminal guidance as one of the Geran-4’s key features. Khodarenok said its neural-network-based machine vision system allows the drone to detect and lock onto a target during the final stage of flight, distinguish military sites from civilian buildings, and identify targets using preloaded signatures.

Khodarenok added that Russia is preparing another member of the family, the Geran-5, which he described as an entirely new design.

According to the specifications he provided, the new drone is about six meters long and has a wingspan of 5.5 meters. Its range reaches up to 1,000 kilometers, while the warhead weighs 90 kilograms. The aircraft is powered by a Russian-made turbojet engine and has a cruising speed of between 450 and 600 kilometers per hour.

Khodarenok believes this version could further increase pressure on Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and potentially deal a decisive blow to its remaining defense potential.