Russia Intensifies Attacks on Ukraine with Loitering Munitions

Russian invaders have intensified their use of loitering munitions to strike Ukrainian territory.

The Ukrainian Air Force and several monitoring channels reported on this.

The enemy used these types of UAVs during a combined attack on the night of July 31.

At this time, it is unclear how many of these drones were deployed.

The Ukrainian Air Force also reported the use of at least eight jet-powered drones – alongside standard Shahed drones and decoy UAVs – on the northern front during the night of July 30.

These drones are likely a localized version of the Iranian Shahed-238, developed by the Russian defense industry and designated locally as the Geran-3.

There is also reason to believe that Russian forces previously used the Geran-3 UAV or one of its versions in attacks on Kyiv.

Overall, the first reports of the invaders possessing this type of drone surfaced in February 2025.

At the end of June, wreckage of a Geran-3 drone with the serial number U-36 was found, indicating that these drones are currently being produced in small batches.

According to Russian propaganda sources, the Geran-3 UAV measures 3.5 meters in length, has a wingspan of three meters, and a maximum flight altitude of 9.1 kilometers.

The drone’s flight duration is estimated to be up to two hours, and its takeoff weight has increased to 380 kilograms, significantly exceeding the 250 kilograms of the previous Geran-2 drone.