Russia Begins Production of Jet-Powered “Geran-3” Drone—A Faster, Deadlier Shahed-238 Clone

The Russian Armed Forces move to establish production of an analogue of the jet-powered Shahed-238 drone, according to Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence on February 18.

The new model, known as Geran-3, is equipped with a compact Tolou-10/13 turbojet dual-circuit engine, enabling a flight speed of up to 550–600 km/h and a range of 2,500 km (approximately 1,553 miles.)

The establishment of domestic production indicates that Russia is working to expand its drone capabilities, potentially decreasing its dependence on direct Iranian imports while increasing its capacity to manufacture and deploy high-speed attack drones.

In corresponding news, Russia is striking Ukrainian cities with an upgraded Shahed-136 drone , now carrying a 90 kg warhead, nearly double its previous payload, but with a reduced range. Ukrainian military officials report a surge in attacks using this modified variant in 2025, the Shahed-136 has been adapted to counter Ukraine’s air defenses.