The air war between Russia and Ukraine has evolved constantly since the start of the conflict. The latest example is Russia’s deployment of a new type of long-range, jet-powered drone, which is having a significant effect on Ukraine’s ability to defend its cities against aerial attack.

In an interview on September 14, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat told the Financial Times that Ukraine was intercepting only about 60% of attacks by the new Geran-5 drone. This compares with the 95% interception rate Ukraine’s air defences achieve against other drone variants.

The Geran-5’s cylindrical fuselage and straight wings make its profile closer to that of a cruise missile than a conventional long-range drone. Russian sources indicate it has a range of up to 1,000km and a maximum operating altitude of around 6,000 metres, which is higher than earlier drones.

Geran-5 drones also travel faster than previous models, with an estimated top speed of approximately 600 kilometres per hour. And unlike earlier variants, these drones are fitted with anti-jamming capabilities. Together, this makes them particularly difficult for Ukraine’s ground-based air defences to intercept.

Inhat said Ukraine has been forced into the “very........

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