Russian military engineers continue to rework the Geran strike drones, and their latest upgrade has clearly caught the Ukrainian Armed Forces off guard. This time, the surprise came in the form of a drone fitted with a double warhead.

According to Ukrainian military radio-technology specialist Sergey Beskrestnov, known by the call sign Flash, the latest versions of the Geran can now carry up to 100 kilograms of explosives.

Talk of increased destructive power in Russian UAVs used by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation surfaced about a year ago. Back then, however, there were no concrete details, and most assessments were based on assumptions. The situation changed after Ukrainian specialists examined a Geran drone that crashed without detonating.

Their analysis indicates that the new modification is equipped with two BST-52 warheads, each weighing 50 kilograms. Rather than developing an entirely new munition, Russian designers reportedly opted for a simpler approach by mounting two standard, serial-produced warheads. This decision reduced both development time and costs while significantly increasing the drone’s lethality.

In addition, some Geran drones are fitted with incendiary warheads weighing up to 90 kilograms, which are described as extremely difficult to extinguish once deployed.

Ukrainian officials have previously complained about the speed and efficiency with which Russia is upgrading the Geran platform. These drones now bear little resemblance to the Iranian Shahed UAVs they were once compared to. Russian versions are capable of flying higher and farther, operating in coordinated swarms, and even acting as mobile relay stations.

At the same time, Russia is producing these drones in very large numbers. Most are sent directly to the front, while the remainder are placed into storage.