French Air Force Chief of Staff General Jerome Bellanger said the growth of Russia’s combat capabilities is a serious concern.

In his view, the intensity of drone and missile use continues to increase, contradicting earlier expectations that both sides would gradually exhaust their resources. Bellanger said Russia is still capable of producing around 2,000 missiles a year.

He also said that by the end of this summer, Russia had used roughly 50,000 attack drones against infrastructure targets, matching the total for all of 2025.

Bellanger argued that the main concern is that quantity is now being combined with improved quality. He said Russia in 2026 is tactically different from Russia in 2022, having accumulated extensive combat experience and gained greater familiarity with Western systems.

The general also highlighted the development of Russian attack drones. According to him, Moscow initially depended on large foreign deliveries, but by 2023 it had established domestic production and later continued upgrading its drones, including by introducing turbojet engines.

Bellanger identified the Geran-5 as the most serious threat. He said the drone can fly at an altitude of around 6,000 meters and at speeds above 600 kilometers per hour, placing it directly within the operational envelope of Ukraine’s Mirage 2000–5 fighters.

He also said Russian tactical fighter-bombers and strategic bombers have again become an important part of combat operations. According to Bellanger, fighter-bombers are maintaining constant pressure on Ukrainian forces through the use of glide bombs.