Analysts recorded the speed of the unmanned aerial vehicles at up to 800 km/h
OSINT channel Falcon Intel recorded Russian long-range Geran-5 unmanned aerial vehicles moving at speeds of up to 700–800 km/h over the northern part of Ukraine. Previously, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine estimated the cruising speed of these devices at 450–600 km/h. This was reported by Glavcom citing the Telegram channel of Falcon Intel, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
A publication by the specialized channel on October 16 notes that several air targets were heading through the northern regions toward the western oblasts of the state. The published flight trajectory recorded an indicator of 760 km/h near the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, while on another section of the route the device moved at a speed of 487 km/h. Experts suggest that the Russian side could have modernized its long-range destruction assets.
Technical parameters of the Geran-5 drone
On January 19, 2026, Ukrainian intelligence published detailed technical documentation and characteristics of this product on the War&Sanctions portal. According to those data, the takeoff weight of the device is 850 kg, and the maximum altitude reaches 6 km. The flight range of the device is estimated up to 950 km with a flight duration of about two hours. The power plant of the drone is based on a Chinese TELEFLY TF-TJ2000A turbojet engine, and the structural architecture is similar to the Iranian Karrar product.
Consequences for air defense forces
The increase in the speed of jet drones significantly complicates their timely detection and interception by Ukrainian firepower. Air defense units are left with significantly less time to react and destroy air targets in the sky. The problem of the adversary using fast jet devices instead of traditional piston models became a subject of discussion among specialized experts back in September 2026. Additional data and analysis of the wreckage of downed devices are required to finally confirm the fact that a new modification of Geran-5 has appeared.
Photo: Glavcom
Read also: Russia begins fitting strike drones with EW-resistant optical navigation
