World News
Ukraine reports fivefold increase in Russian jet-powered drone attacks
Ukrainian officials say Russia launched thousands of faster, higher-flying Shahed variants in July and August, challenging ground and air defenses.
The short version
- Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian attacks using jet-powered Shahed drones surged fivefold between June and July.
- The upgraded Geran-3 and Geran-4 drones fly higher and faster than propeller predecessors, bypassing mobile machine-gun teams and small interceptor quadcopters.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that domestic companies have developed interceptor technology to counter the high-speed drones.
Key facts
- Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat reported a fivefold increase in Russia's deployment of jet-powered Shahed drones from June to July.[Business Insider]
- Drone expert Serhii Beskrestnov reported that Russia launched 1,500 jet-powered drones in July and more than 2,500 in August.[Business Insider]
- The turbojet-equipped Geran-3 and Geran-4 models reach speeds of 200 mph or higher and can operate at altitudes up to 30,000 feet.[Business Insider]
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that four companies have developed technology for interceptors capable of neutralizing jet-powered Shaheds.[Business Insider]
- Ukrainian military officials reported in mid-August that jet-powered variants made up to two-thirds of Russia's long-range strikes.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- The effectiveness and deployment timeline of Ukraine's newly developed interceptors for high-speed drones remain unverified.[Business Insider]