Missiles up to 750 km/h: Russia may move to mass use of a new weapon

Russia may within the next 5–6 months begin mass deployment of new cheap cruise missiles and jet drones. Their speed, according to advisor to the President of Ukraine Serhiy Beskrestnov, known as Flash, may range from 500 to 750 km/h.

As reported by the publication Focus, this concerns several new aerial attack systems:

• «Banderol»;
• «Dana-T»;
• «Dana-M»;
• «Gerbera 5».

Such targets may exceed the speed of the current jet «Shaheds», maneuver and fly at very low altitudes. Because of this, air defence systems will find it harder to detect and intercept them in time.

According to Serhiy Beskrestnov, Russia may already have ordered production of these systems in quantities comparable to orders for jet strike drones. This could indicate preparation for their mass use during combined attacks.

Interceptor drones that Ukraine is developing to counter jet «Shaheds» may prove insufficient. Military-political analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko considers one possible solution to be creating interceptors capable of reaching around 600–650 km/h.

In the long term, the expert believes Ukraine will also need inexpensive guided short-range air-defence missiles. Their speed should allow them to quickly catch airborne targets, while the price must be significantly lower than that of Western AD missiles.

Oleksandr Kovalenko assesses Ukraine‘s technical capabilities as sufficient to create a missile with a unit cost of roughly 5 thousand dollars. He also believes it is both theoretically and practically possible to prepare for the new threat within the required timeframe.

At the same time, the expert warns against relying solely on interceptor drones. Russia continues to modernize strike UAVs, increasing their speed and maneuverability.

Serhiy Beskrestnov separately drew attention to the Shahed-Seeker, equipped with a powerful camera. After detecting a target, such a drone can switch to optical guidance, meaning conventional electronic warfare measures will not always be effective.

Against the backdrop of the emergence of cheap cruise missiles and the development of high-speed maneuvering drones, experts advise Ukraine to develop two lines simultaneously: interceptor drones and affordable rocket-based AD systems.

Earlier we wrote:

• Ukraine has found a cheap way to shoot down Russian “Banderol” missiles
• A third of the “Shaheds” were jet-powered: details of the August 27 attack
• 24 ballistic missiles overnight: the shortage of anti-ballistics again cost Ukraine lives
• Ukraine strikes new Russian drones: cheap interceptor drones are changing the course of the war
• Shaheds are being adapted by the Russians to Ukrainian interceptors – next will be jet drones