Russia is producing over 5,000 long-range drones per month, half of which are real "Shaheds" and the other half are imitators, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense reported.
Points of attention
- Russia is currently producing over 5,000 long-range drones per month, half of which are real Shaheds while the other half are imitators, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
- The production rate of the Shahed-136/Geran-2 drones has reached about 2,700 units per month, showing a significant increase compared to previous estimates.
- Increasing drone terror since the beginning of 2025, Russia has launched nearly 13,000 Shahed drones and their imitators against Ukraine, using simulator drones to intensify air defense load and for reconnaissance purposes.
Russia scaled up production of shaheeds
As of the end of May 2025, Russia's production rate of "Shahed-136/Geran-2" is about 2,700 drones per month, the GUR press service said in a response.
The production rate of Gerber-type strike UAV simulators is about 2,500 units.
A new assessment of Russia's Shahed production rate indicates a fivefold increase compared to the summer of 2024.
In August last year, a Forbes Ukraine source in the intelligence community estimated the Shahed production rate at 500 drones per month. In December 2024, the rate could increase to 2,000 UAVs per month, Defense Express suggested.
Russia began using simulator drones against Ukraine along with real Shaheds in the fall of 2024. As a rule, Gerber-type UAVs are made of cheap materials, have no warhead or carry a small payload. Simulator drones can be used primarily to increase the load on Ukrainian air defense and for reconnaissance purposes.
Russia has increased drone terror since the beginning of 2025. From January to May, the enemy launched almost 13,000 "Shaheeds" and their imitators across Ukraine, according to Forbes Ukraine.
The pace of attacks was cyclical: a month — about 2,500 drones, two months — about 4,000, another month — 2,500 units, a month — 4,000.
The 2025 version of the Shahed has several changes. The number of Chinese electronic elements in the navigation systems has increased and the number of Western ones has decreased. The drones have become more resistant to electronic warfare, and a possible solution to this problem is turrets with artificial intelligence.
