Russia Unveils Jet-Powered ‘Geran-5’ Missile During Hardware-Free Victory Day

In a significant departure from tradition, Russia utilized a “virtual” military display during its May 9 Victory Day celebrations to debut the Geran-5, a new jet-powered cruise missile, Defence Express reported.

The 2026 parade in Moscow was notably devoid of actual military hardware on Red Square, consisting only of marching units and a column of North Korean troops. Instead, footage of the new missile and its 80-meter launcher was broadcast to the public, reportedly filmed at a launch site in the Orel region.

Technical specifications and origins

The Geran-5 represents Russia’s push into the “low-cost cruise missile” category, a class of weaponry intended for mass production and saturation attacks.

Driven by a jet engine, the missile can reach speeds of approximately 600 km/h, significantly faster than the propeller-driven Shahed/Geran variants. It carries a 90 kg warhead and has an operational range of 1,000 km.

Analysts at Defense Express note that the Geran-5 bears a striking resemblance to the Iranian Karrar missile.

Following Iranian design cues, the Geran-5 is being produced in versions armed with R-60 or R-73 air-to-air missiles, allowing it to potentially target Ukrainian interceptors or helicopters during flight.

A threat to air defense

The missile is constructed using highly unified components, including Chinese-made engines and various Western-sourced electronics. Military experts suggest that mass production of the Geran-5 could overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, particularly when used in combination with slower drones and decoy missiles.

Other Topics of Interest

Dnipropetrovsk Tightens Evacuations, Nikopol Defenses

Following more than 40 Russian strikes across five districts since Tuesday – including an FPV drone attack that killed three civilians in Nikopol – Dnipropetrovsk Regional Governor Oleksandr Hanzha convened a Defense Council to address evacuation security, anti-drone defenses, and the need for all officials to direct maximum resources toward Ukraine’s military.

The “virtual” unveiling took place as Moscow experienced a rare reprieve from Ukrainian drone strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree establishing a geographic “no-strike zone” over Red Square for the duration of the parade to ensure the safety of a major humanitarian prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees from each side.

Despite the temporary pause in strikes on the capital, the debut of the Geran-5 underscores Russia’s focus on long-term aerial warfare capabilities.