File image.
The Russian military has destroyed a Soviet-made ST-68 aerial surveillance radar of Kiev forces in the Chernihiv region using Geran-type suicide drones.
Video footage posted to social networks on July 13 showed the radar and a support vehicle getting destroyed by two Geran drones close to the settlement of Borzna.
The ST-68 is a 3D aerial surveillance radar with a range up to 150 kilometers. The radar can be used with Soviet-made air defense systems, like the S-300. Ukraine inherited dozens of ST-68 from the Soviet Union, with many upgraded in recent years.
Russia is currently producing three versions of the Geran, which are alleged to be copies of the Iranian-made Shahed-131, 136 and 238 suicide drones.
The Geran-1 and 2 are both pusher-propelled. The first has a range of 900 kilometers with a warhead weighing 15 kg, while the second has a range of 2,500 kilometers with a warhead weighing 50 kg. Meanwhile, the Geran-3, which is propelled by a turbojet engine, has a range of 2,500 kilometers and a warhead weighing 90 kg.
All three versions of the Geran are guided via a GLONASS-aided inertial navigation system. Loitering munition versions with terminal electro-optical homing, including one with an artificial intelligence model, are reported to be at least in development.
The black color scheme of the drones that struck the ST-68 radar in Chernihiv is typically associated with the Geran-2 version. It is in fact reported to be a radiation-absorbent material paint.
In recent months, the Russian military shifted its approach to deploying Geran drones, expanding their operational scope beyond deep strikes into more tactical frontline engagements. This change reflects a serious increase in production capacity.
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