Ascreenshot recently circulated on social media, reportedly originating from a russian state-funded Telegram channel, claimed that russia has significantly improved its Shahed-type long-range kamikaze drones to the point that Ukraine allegedly has no means to counter them. While it is true that the russian Federation continues to ramp up production and refine these drones, such assertions are detached from reality.

Axar.az informs via Defense Express, Ukrainian electronic warfare specialist Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov and active-duty serviceman and analyst Oleksandr Karpiuk (aka Serg Marco) have thoroughly debunked the russian claims, revealing their nature as deliberate disinformation aimed at spreading fear and portraying Ukrainian air defenses as ineffective.

One key claim is that the modified Shahed drones — called Geran in russia — can now operate at altitudes above 3 km and speeds exceeding 200 km/h, supposedly rendering helicopters and mobile fire teams ineffective, leaving F-16 fighters with their superior air combat capabilities the last viable means of response.

The Ukrainian experts confirm that such performance is technically achievable, but at a cost: the drones must sacrifice both warhead size and operational range. Moreover, these upgrades do little to change the effectiveness of mobile teams armed with MANPADS, and Ukraine has also fielded specialized anti-aircraft drones capable of targeting threats at higher altitudes.

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