Russia is actively expanding its infrastructure for launching strike drones directly near the border with Ukraine. Modern facilities are being adapted for the operation of jet drones, which are characterized by increased speed and are more difficult to intercept with air defense systems.
This is reported by Finway
Expansion of capabilities in border regions
According to analysis of satellite images and conclusions from independent researchers, systematic construction and modernization of launch pads at Russian military bases designated for the latest drones is being observed. One of the key sites is a base in the Oryol region, located approximately 160 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Analysts from Vantor discovered four launch rails in this area, two of which have already been extended to 85 meters. Construction work began here in late December 2025, and two more launch positions started being installed in the spring of 2026.
Experts believe that this infrastructure is being created for new versions of Russian strike drones from the “Geran” family. While the first models, such as the “Geran-2”, were adapted copies of the Iranian Shahed-136 with a propeller engine, subsequent modifications — “Geran-3”, “Geran-4”, and “Geran-5” — are already equipped with jet engines. The launch of such UAVs is carried out using special rail systems, after which the drone accelerates to high speeds and autonomously flies to its target.
Increasing threat and Ukrainian response
According to analysts, the latest drones are not only technically advanced but also changing in appearance. In particular, the shape of the “Geran-5” increasingly resembles a cruise missile, which may complicate their detection and interception by Ukrainian air defense forces.
In addition to the Oryol region, similar infrastructure is being deployed in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk region. There, Russian troops are setting up new launch positions and storage facilities for drones at the site of a former airport, despite being significantly distant from the front line. It is known that this site has repeatedly become a target for Ukrainian strikes.
Since the beginning of 2026, Russia has significantly increased the scale of drone attacks: in the first three months of this year alone, nearly 16,000 drones were launched at Ukraine. This volume of launches significantly exceeds the figures for the same period last year.
“According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian capabilities already allow for the production of up to 2,000 such devices daily, some of which could potentially be transferred to allies.”
Ukraine is actively developing its own systems to counter drone attacks, particularly focusing on the production of inexpensive interceptor drones that effectively destroy enemy UAVs in the air.
It was previously reported that Russia has created three secret identical military facilities in occupied Crimea, near St. Petersburg, and on the shores of the White Sea. These sites house missile systems, and their location is near former Soviet-era nuclear storage facilities.