Russian Geran-2 drone failures rise amid sanctions impact
In recent months, the effectiveness of Russian Geran-2 drones has noticeably declined. According to information obtained by "The Washington Post," these issues are due to Western sanctions that have forced the Russians to replace proven components with Chinese substitutes.
While the Russian economy and its defense industry have long endured Western sanctions, reports of further problems are emerging consistently in 2024. There are already noticeable challenges with the production of new tanks and advanced fighters like the Su-57, and now Geran-2 drones are also affected.
Russians face issues with Geran-2 drones
The "Washington Post" has reported, with support from Ukrainian analysts and the British think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), that there is an increased failure rate among Geran-2 drones.
The consistent assessment points to one likely culprit: a component that regulates the drone's movements in flight. At the end of 2023, the manufacturer of Geran-2 switched to a Chinese substitute for a South Korean component they could no longer access due to Western sanctions.
As a result, Geran-2 drone operators equipped with these Chinese components lose control during sharp turns; some drones crash, while others, due to unpredictable maneuvers, become easy targets for Ukrainian air defenses.
Geran-2 in Russian operations
The Russians have increased the number of attacks to compensate for these issues, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted in November. In October alone, approximately 2,000 Geran-2 drones were launched towards Ukraine.
The Geran-2 is not an original Russian creation; it is a locally produced version of the Iranian Shahed-136 drone. This kamikaze drone measures about 11 feet long with an 8-foot wingspan. Each weighs around 440 pounds, including an approximately 88-pound warhead. While the original Iranian designs featured light-colored paint, the Russians began using black paint to make detection and interception at night more difficult.
