However, drones swiftly became the dominant tool of air power. They have no crews to risk and, given their relative simplicity, can be produced at low cost in large numbers. Smaller drone variants have been used by both sides close to the frontlines, while larger, long-range drones have struck targets deeper inside Ukraine and Russia.
The issue with the earlier long-range drone variants was that they were relatively easy to shoot down. This is because, being propeller-driven, they are slow. For several years, the principal Russian long-range drones have been the propeller-driven Geran-1 and Geran-2 – upgraded Russian copies of the Iranian Shahed-136 drone.
The first jet-powered drone, the Geran-3, was deployed in 2025. It was significantly faster than the Geran-2, travelling at 330kmh compared with the Geran 2’s 185km/h. While it had a considerably shorter range of just 600km, against the Geran-2’s possible 2,500km, it could fly higher, reducing its vulnerability to air defences.
Later that year, the jet-powered Geran-4 appeared in the skies above Ukraine with an increased top speed of 500kmh and range of 850km. And in August, the Geran-5, with its faster speed and even longer range, was first used operationally by Russian forces.
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