Russian forces have sharply increased their use of Bandерol munitions, according to the Telegram channel Voyennaya Khronika.

The channel reports that around six months ago, Russian troops were launching only one or two such missiles, while on some sectors the number of launches has now risen to 10–20 per day.

Voyennaya Khronika estimates that the small-sized missile costs roughly $25,000–30,000, about half the price of a Geran-4. Based on that, the authors suggest that Bandерol could take on a larger share of strike missions.

At the same time, the growing use of Bandерol is not expected to replace the Geran family. The channel believes Geran drones will continue to be used, but more often against larger targets such as production facilities and warehouses.

The S8000 Bandерol is a compact air-launched cruise missile fitted with a jet engine and incorporating features associated with unmanned systems. It is described as more maneuverable than Kh-101 and 3M-14 cruise missiles. In appearance, the munition resembles the US AGM-158 JASSM air-launched cruise missile.

The Bandерol has a wingspan of about 2.2 meters and a reported range of up to 500 kilometers. Its speed is estimated at 500–650 km/h, while the warhead weighs between 50 and 150 kilograms.