Russia's new jet-powered drones overwhelm Ukrainian defences as civilian toll rises
Faster, higher-flying and harder to intercept, the Geran-4 and Geran-5 have shifted the war into a new phase, with Kyiv enduring near-constant air alerts.
A new wave of Russian jet-powered drones is terrorising Ukrainian cities, flying at speeds of up to 600km/h and altitudes of 6,000m, outpacing existing air defences. Ukraine's ability to shoot them down has improved from 57% to about 75% according to the Institute for the Study of War, but the shorter window to intercept the drones and sheer numbers, 3,500 jet drones launched in September alone, are straining defences and driving up civilian casualties.