Ukraine could get whole Russian "Geraniums". How is this possible and what can the Ukrainian Armed Forces use them for?

Ukraine could get whole Russian Geranium drones

Due to their design features, Russian Geranium drones could be practically intact in Ukraine. This was reported by the Telegram channel "Military Chronicle".

The publication drew attention to the published footage of the fallen vehicle and its inspection by the Russian military. Presumably, the drone crashed due to a technical malfunction or exposure to electronic warfare.

As noted in the publication, even when falling from a great height, the body of the device remains intact.

At the same time, the scale of use of such drones also plays an important role. According to the authors, a large number of launches leads to the fact that the enemy accumulates dozens of relatively intact drones.

"This amount is quite enough to create your own clone or organize provocations," the publication notes.

In Ukraine, they announced unstoppable herds of "Geraniums" — up to 999 drones per day.

The intensity of the use of "Geraniums" has increased significantly recently. In Ukraine, it was pointed out that drones began to be used not in small groups, but in large batches at the same time.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha demonstrates a Russian kamikaze drone "Geran" to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Kiev, Ukraine, 2025.
Source: Valentyn Ogirenko / Reuters

Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Pavel Elizarov said that drones "fly in herds." According to him, even if there are several air defense lines, it is extremely difficult to intercept dozens of targets at the same time.

"Even if our crews are arranged in three rows, and 15 [drones] are flying at the same time, no matter how good the guys are, they still won't be able to cope with this task," he said.

An additional factor remains the shortage of anti-drone crews, which are unable to cover the entire territory of the country.

Against this background, there have been suggestions that Russia has significantly increased the production of drones. According to the Military Chronicle, Ukraine announced the launch of up to 999 drones per day. The publication notes that if these figures are at least partially true, this indicates a large-scale serial production.

Russia has changed the tactics of attacks with "Geraniums"

In addition to the number of drones being launched, the scheme of their launch has also changed. Thus, the coordinator of the Mykolaiv underground, Sergei Lebedev, reported that the Russian military had begun to change the tactics of using Geranium drones on the territory of Ukraine. According to him, tactics played a key role during the attack in Sumy region. The drones entered the target with a climb, then performed maneuvers with a gradual descent, and at the final stage they turned off the engine and switched to silent planning.

This scheme simultaneously reduces visibility and complicates the operation of air defense systems. In addition, the reaction time at the last stage is reduced, the expert noted.

According to him, similar tactics can be used in other regions, which will lead to an increase in the effectiveness of strikes even with the use of fewer UAVs.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have recognized the serious evolution of the Russian "Geraniums"

In addition to the new tactics, the changes also affected the devices themselves. The Ukrainian military admits that the drones of the Geranium family have become much more complicated. Maxim Masliy, Deputy Chief of Staff of the 96th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that the drones of the Geranium family have evolved significantly.

UAV "Geran-2" during the parade on Red Square.
Source: © Alexander Shcherbak/ TASS

According to him, new versions appeared last fall. Manufacturers change the materials, shape, and color of the devices to make them more difficult to detect.

He also mentioned the Geranium-5 model, which, according to him, is equipped with a large number of antennas and is capable of overcoming counteraction systems. He also noted that we are talking about a faster jet vehicle.

What is known about the newest and smartest "Geranium-5", which began to be used in the free zone?

The attention of analysts and the military is now being attracted by a new modification of the Geranium-5, which has recently begun to be used by the Russian military in its combat zone. According to the Telegram channel "Military Informant", such a device has already been found in the territory controlled by Kiev.

It is noted that it differs from previous models and is closer in its characteristics to small-sized cruise missiles.

According to relevant resources, the range of the Geranium-5 can exceed 600 kilometers. It is reported that the device reaches speeds of more than 350 kilometers per hour and carries a warhead weighing more than 60 kilograms.

Machine vision elements are used for guidance, as well as technologies to increase resistance to interference.

In addition, the West has admitted that the Russian military is working on the possibility of launching such drones from Su-25 attack aircraft. According to Business Insider, this can further increase the range of use, since the aircraft is able to deliver the device closer to the target before launch.