Ukraine's military intelligence details upgraded Russian 'Geran-4' drone with new warhead and Russian-made engine
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) published data on 5 October on a new modification of the Russian jet drone 'Geran-4'. The upgraded version features a Russian-produced turbojet engine made in Alabuga, a new cumulative-cutting warhead designed to strike bridge structures and power line supports, and improved autonomous navigation components including an American-made magnetometer and a 'Susaпin' optical correlation system.
Key points
- HUR published details of the upgraded 'Geran-4' on Monday, 5 October 2026.
- The drone now uses a turbojet engine produced in Alabuga, replacing the previously used Chinese Telefly engine.
- A new KRSN cumulative-cutting warhead is designed to cut through bridge structures and power transmission line supports.
- A 'MOKH' block based on a U.S.-made PNI5GA magnetometer from PNI Sensor works with the SADRA inertial module to improve autonomous navigation accuracy.
- The 'Susaпin' opto-electronic correlation system supplements satellite and inertial navigation, making the drone more resistant to GPS jamming.
- An analogous 'Susaпin' system is also used on the new 'Geran-5' K5 drones.
- Russia began using the new Geran-4 variant in attacks on Ukraine in autumn 2025; Kyiv's Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge was struck on 1 October and the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge from 3 October.
- Other electronic components of the updated drone are unchanged from previous Geran versions.
Why it matters
The substitution of a domestically produced engine reduces Moscow's dependence on Chinese components for jet-powered Geran variants, while the new KRSN warhead extends the type of infrastructure these drones can target to bridges and power transmission lines. The 'MOKH' magnetometer and 'Susaпin' optical correlation system together harden the drone against satellite-navigation jamming, complicating electronic-warfare countermeasures. HUR's open publication of the supply chain — including the identification of a U.S.-made PNI Sensor magnetometer — gives Ukraine and its partners actionable intelligence on Russian procurement networks and component sources.
What happened
On 5 October 2026, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) released technical details of a new modification of the Russian 'Geran-4' jet drone, which Russia began deploying against Ukraine in autumn 2025. The upgraded airframe retains the general electronics of previous Geran versions but introduces several notable changes. Its Chinese Telefly turbojet engine has been replaced by a Russian analogue manufactured in Alabuga. A new cumulative-cutting warhead, designated KRSN, has been added specifically to sever bridge structures and the supports of overhead power transmission lines. Navigation has been reinforced with two additions: a 'MOKH' block built around a PNI5GA high-precision magneto-inductive sensor (magnetometer) made by the American company PNI Sensor, which works with the SADRA inertial navigation module to reduce gyroscope drift; and a 'Susaпin' opto-electronic correlation system that compares imagery from an onboard optical sensor with a reference image stored in memory, allowing the drone to maintain its route from launch point to target without relying solely on satellite signals. The same 'Susaпin' system is also fitted to the newer 'Geran-5' K5 drone. The publication comes amid a series of strikes on Kyiv bridges: on 1 October, a drone hit the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge, damaging a support, a barrier and the protective concrete covering of the metro, and from 3 October a series of strikes on the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge left a hole in the structure.
Background
Earlier Geran jet drones relied on Chinese-made Telefly turbojet engines; the shift to an Alabuga-produced analogue reflects Moscow's effort to localize propulsion for its jet-powered strike drones. The 'Susaпin' autonomous navigation system is not unique to the Geran-4 — it also equips the newer 'Geran-5' K5, suggesting it is becoming a standard feature across the upgraded Geran family. Aside from the engine, warhead and navigation additions described by HUR, the remaining electronic blocks and components of the Geran-4 are reported to be identical to those of previous Geran versions.