Inside Russia's Drone War Shift: Turbojet Gerans, a Dead Missile, and a 6.6× Business Defense Surge

Shift to Faster Turbojet Variants

Russia is restructuring its production lines away from slower propeller-driven drones toward the turbojet-powered Geran-4 and Geran-5, which are harder for Ukrainian air defense to intercept due to their higher speed . This represents a tactical response to Ukraine's improving interception rates of the older, piston-engine Geran-2 models . The Geran-5 carries a 90-kilogram warhead and has a reported attack range of around 1,000 kilometers .

Kinzhal Production Suspended

In a significant development, Russia suspended serial production of the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile and the Kh-32 anti-ship missile in April 2026, after deeming their combat effectiveness poor . Deputy HUR chief Major General Vadym Skibitsky confirmed that rocket fuel, components, and production capacity previously used for the Kinzhal are being redirected to boost output of Iskander-M and other ballistic missiles . Despite this shift, Russia continues to exceed overall missile production targets, meeting 110–120% of monthly plans .

Russian Business Anti-Drone Spending Surges 6.6-Fold

Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian industrial infrastructure — oil refineries, ports, and factories — have driven a massive surge in commercial anti-drone procurement. In the first half of 2026, Russian businesses spent 441.3 million rubles ($5.34 million) on anti-drone equipment, a 6.6-fold increase over the same period in 2025, according to data from the Tenderplan procurement system reported by Vedomosti .

The Russian government has also legislated to allow the central bank, Sberbank, and other institutions to arm personnel against drones, and is shifting more of the air-defense cost burden onto private companies . The Carnegie Endowment has described these costs as an "unregistered tax on revenue" for Russian businesses .

The Escalation Feedback Loop

The war has entered a self-reinforcing cycle:

• Russia floods the battlespace with cheap Geran drones to overwhelm Ukrainian air defense, while shifting to turbojet variants to complicate interception.
• Ukraine responds by striking deeper into Russian territory — targeting oil refineries, industrial plants, and logistics hubs — forcing Russian businesses to invest heavily in their own active air defense.
• Russia then frees up military air defense resources by pushing costs onto the private sector, while simultaneously redirecting missile production toward more effective systems.

The net result is an accelerating arms race: Russia's drone output (tens of thousands annually) far outpaces the growth in defensive capacity on either side, and both sides are rapidly iterating their attack and countermeasure technologies.