Key facts
- Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) estimates Russia has approximately 6,200 Geran kamikaze drones as of August.
- The Geran drone is based on Iran's Shahed design, with Russia establishing domestic production.
- Russia typically builds large drone stockpiles before major attacks.
- Recent drone launches have declined, with Russia typically using 150-300 drones per attack during replenishment periods.
- The Geran-5 drone modification has a 90kg warhead and a range of 950 kilometers.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) estimates that Russia has accumulated a stockpile of approximately 6,200 Geran kamikaze drones of various types as of August, according to a report by Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi. The Geran, a long-range attack drone based on Iran's Shahed design, has seen Russia establish domestic production after initially receiving supplies from Iran.
Russia typically amasses large drone stockpiles in preparation for significant attacks. However, the number of long-range drones launched against Ukraine has decreased in recent months. While large-scale attacks can involve between 600 and 1,000 drones, Russia has been launching around 150-300 drones per attack during periods of stockpile replenishment. In May, Russia launched a record 8,150 drones over a 24-hour period, with Ukrainian forces intercepting 94% of them. By July, the number of launches had fallen to nearly 5,000.
Russia has also upgraded its long-range drones since the full-scale invasion began. The latest modification, the Geran-5, which entered use in 2026, is equipped with a 90-kilogram warhead, has a range of approximately 950 kilometers, and can reach speeds of up to 600 km/h. In comparison, the Geran-1, equivalent to the Shahed-131, carries a warhead of up to 20 kilograms, has a range of about 900 kilometers, and can reach speeds of up to 185 km/h.