PBS Group Denies Involvement in Russian Drone Production

Czech turbojet engine producer PBS Group has denied that its products were used in Russian drones that attacked Kyiv.

The company issued a statement through the Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic (DSIA), rejecting reports that linked its PBS TJ 40-G2 engine to wreckage found after the strike on the capital on the night of August 28th.

PBS said the engine shown in published photos differed from its product in technical specifications and connection design and contained components from German manufacturer Bosch, with which it had no cooperation.

The company stressed that exports of its products were subject to strict oversight by Czech state authorities and were supplied only to verified customers in line with legal and international obligations.

It added that since 2014 it had strictly complied with EU sanctions on Russia covering military equipment and dual-use goods.

PBS said it was ready to assist Ukrainian authorities in analyzing the engine and reaffirmed its long-standing support for Ukraine.

The usage of jet UAVs

Last month, Militarnyi reported an uptick in Russian strikes using jet-powered drones. On the night of July 31st, Russian forces launched eight of them.

At the time, they were believed to be locally produced versions of the Iranian Shahed-238 drone, designated Geran-3 in Russia.
There is also reason to believe that the Geran-3, or a modification of it, was previously used in strikes on Kyiv.

The first reports of the drone’s use by Russian forces surfaced in February 2025. At the end of June, debris from a Geran-3 marked with serial number U-36 was found, suggesting limited-scale production.

According to Russian media, Geran-3 is 3.5 meters long, with a wingspan of three meters and a maximum flight altitude of 9.1 kilometers.

The drone’s flight duration is estimated at up to two hours, and its takeoff weight has increased to 380 kilograms, compared with 250 kilograms for the earlier Geran-2 version.