Russia has significantly increased the pace of production of Shahed-136/"Geran-2" strike drones and is now capable of producing up to 2,700 of these devices per month. This was reported by Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, in an interview with Noviny.LIVE.
According to him, these are drones with a warhead, but Russia also produces "empty" versions - so-called "dummies." They do not carry explosives, but they force Ukraine to waste air defense assets.
" Hundreds of Shaheds flying towards Ukraine every day and combined missile and drone strikes are a serious challenge for our air defense and missile defense forces. This also means additional challenges for partners who must help strengthen the defense of our skies ," Yusov emphasized.
He noted that the Russians are constantly trying to improve drones: they are testing various modifications, including with new components. At the same time, the possibilities of large-scale production directly depend on access to foreign components.
As a reminder, in May 2025, it was reported that Russia produces about 170 Shaheds daily, including imitators. The Kremlin plans to reach a figure of 190 drones per day by the end of the year, and in the future - up to 500.
Defense Express expert Oleg Katkov explained that the production of these devices does not require high-precision equipment: most processes are done manually, and key components are purchased en masse in China.
Radio technology expert Sergey "Flash" also reported that the Russians are testing a new series of "Shahedi" drones with cameras and modems for video transmission. Such drones allow the enemy to broadcast in real time and even remotely control the flight via radio.
