Russia Attacked Kyiv With Unidentified Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drone

Russian forces launched an attack on Kyiv using a previously unidentified kamikaze drone equipped with a jet engine, Ukrainian officials and observers said.

Photos of the wreckage were published by the Telegram channel Polkovnik GSh (war_home), which monitors military developments.

The drone’s design lacks clear visual similarities to the Shahed-238, a jet-powered model that has been used against Ukraine in the past.

However, the nose of the drone appeared to resemble a reinforced version of the standard Shahed model. Due to the extent of the damage, analysts have been unable to definitively identify the drone’s type.

There is speculation that the drone may be a new Russian-made model — possibly the Geran-3 — first mentioned in open sources in February 2025.

Shahed-238 and Geran-3

Iran presented the Shahed-238 jet-powered attack drone in November 2023 during an aerospace exhibition at Ashura University of Aerospace Sciences and Technology. Three versions were presented: one with inertial and GPS navigation, another with infrared/optical targeting, and a third likely using radar guidance.

According to the U.S.-based War Zone publication, the Shahed-238 is believed to use the Toloue-10 turbojet engine, an Iranian copy of the Czech PBS TJ100, previously seen on Iranian cruise missiles.

Russian state-linked media have claimed the Shahed-238 can reach speeds of up to 800 km/h, although these specifications have not been independently verified. Analysts say it is plausible that Russian engineers modified the drone’s design and engine type during localization efforts, as was done with earlier Geran models.

According to Russian sources, the Geran-3 reportedly has a length of 3.5 meters, a wingspan of 3 meters, and a maximum altitude of 9.1 kilometers. Its estimated flight time is up to two hours, with a takeoff weight of 380 kilograms—significantly heavier than the 250-kilogram Geran-2.