[MetroUK] Mass cattle cull in Russia feared to be from bioweapons research plant ‘leak’
Veteran political scientist Dmitry Oreshkin warned there may be a sinister explanation, pointing to Vector State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology, at Koltsovo, in the Novosibirsk region, one of only two places in the world legally holding stocks of deadly smallpox.
Its vaults include Ebola, Marburg, and other lethal viruses. In the Cold War, Vector produced smallpox on an industrial scale, while also weaponising Marburg.
Oreshkin claimed that under Putin’s rule, ‘biotoxins or similar biologically aggressive compounds are being produced at the centre’.
**Miratorg** is the largest buyer and operator of cattle in Russia, having built one of the world’s largest cattle herds—around 400,000 mother cows—since 2010. The company imports **Angus and Hereford cattle** from the U.S., Australia, and other countries to develop a premium beef industry.
Other significant buyers include:
- **Private and state-backed agricultural enterprises** investing in beef and dairy production.
- **Export-focused processors** targeting markets in **Algeria, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Southeast Asia**, where Russian dairy and beef exports are growing.
- **Local farmers and cooperatives**, especially in regions like **Bryansk, Kalmykia, and the Southern Federal District**, where cattle breeding is expanding.
Russia’s counter-sanctions policy excludes live cattle and genetic material from import bans, enabling continued imports for herd development. While domestic consumption remains dominated by **poultry and pork**, demand for high-quality beef is rising, driven by companies like Miratorg and increasing export ambitions.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 23.35 Russia has taken strategic aircraft into the air, which may indicate a possible missile attack. According to the Air Force, takeoffs of enemy strategic aircraft have been recorded. Monitoring channels have noted preparations for the launch of at least 20 Iskander-M ballistic missiles from the Bryansk and Voronezh regions in the next 2 hours. The main direction of the intended ballistic missile strike is Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
22.55 To scale up Russian losses, we need enough drones of all types and more systematic approaches to managing people in the army so that front-line positions are stronger. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an evening address on March 23.
"We spoke with Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov. We identified key issues for the near future that require solutions," he noted.
22.30 In the Odessa region on the evening of March 23, a Russian drone hit a bus stop, injuring two people. This was reported by the head of the Odessa OVA Oleg Kiper
"In the evening, the Russian army once again carried out a massive drone strike on the peaceful Odessa region. One of the drones hit a bus stop in the Odessa district. Unfortunately, two people were injured: an 18-year-old girl and a 51-year-old man. Doctors assess their condition as moderate. The injured are being provided with all necessary medical assistance," he noted.
The attack also damaged transport and energy infrastructure.
21:45 According to intelligence information, the Russians may be preparing a massive strike today. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an evening video address on March 23.
"Please pay attention to the alarm signals today. There is intelligence information that the Russians may be preparing a massive strike. We have already issued corresponding orders for air defense. Please take care of yourself and Ukraine," he noted.
20.16 The Ministry of Defense codified the JEDI Shahed Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle complex of Ukrainian production, which includes high-speed interceptor drones. This was reported by the press service of the department.
The new drones have successfully destroyed Russian attack drones such as Shahed, Geran, and Gerbera. They can also intercept Zala and Supercam reconnaissance drones.
19.19 Ukrainian military personnel will be restricted from accessing gambling using a special mechanism. The press service of the Ministry of Digital Transformation reported this.
"We continue the systematic fight against gambling addiction. Our goal is to protect military personnel and families from the risks and consequences of gambling addiction. To this end, together with the Ministry of Defense, we are preparing a mechanism that will limit the participation of military personnel in gambling during martial law," the statement said.
The department explained that upon login, the system will check the user against the register of persons with restricted access to gambling and the register of military personnel.
18.49 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard a report by the head of the State Security Service of Ukraine, Oleg Ivashchenko, and received important data on Russia's actions in Ukraine and Iran. The head of state reported this on Telegram.
18.15 Ukrainian military personnel continue their professional training on foreign weapons and military equipment abroad, in particular, basic combined arms training events are planned for the current year in three EU countries. This was reported by Major Dmytro Lykhovii, an officer of the media relations department of the Public Relations Department of the Main Communications Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
16.59 Since the beginning of the day, Russian aggressors have launched 116 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in 11 directions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational summary. The main efforts of the Russian invaders are being made in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Pokrovsk and Hulyaipol.
16.48 A court has sentenced a Russian military intelligence agent to 14 years in prison with confiscation of property for trying to steal secret materials from the development of the Ukrainian T-84BM Oplot tank. The SBU press service reported this on Monday, March 23.
Law enforcement officers detained the attacker in February 2021 in Kharkiv.
As the investigation established, the Russian agent tried to obtain secret documentation on the development and production of the Ukrainian T-84BM Oplot tank for the enemy.
He came to the attention of the occupiers even before the start of the full-scale war during a trip to the Russian Federation to visit relatives.
16.34 The identity of the Hungarian military intelligence agent who led the spy network exposed in the spring of 2025 in the Transcarpathian region has been established. The SBU reported this.
16.07 In 2025, Russia illegally exported 2 million tons of stolen grain from Ukraine via the Black Sea for sale to other countries, in particular, about 40% was sent to Egypt. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiga
The Foreign Minister stressed that the Black Sea must once again become a sea of security, and freedom of navigation must be restored. This, he said, is of great importance for global food security.
The minister called for increased pressure on Russia, which carried out more attacks on Odessa port infrastructure in February 2026 than in the entire previous year. He also noted that future security guarantees for Ukraine should include a maritime security component.
"Lasting peace in the region requires not only the military presence of our allies on land, but also the warships of our allies in our waters," Sibiga emphasized.
15.59 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant General Andriy Gnatov met with the Supreme Commander of NATO Strategic Command Transformation Admiral Pierre Vandieu, and expressed his readiness to share combat experience in high-tech warfare with partners. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on March 23.
15.54 Courts have sentenced three former prosecutors of Crimea who, after the occupation of the peninsula in 2014, voluntarily defected to Russia and worked in the so-called "Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Crimea" bodies. The press service of the State Bureau of Investigation reported this.
The investigation established that after the occupation of the peninsula in 2014, they voluntarily switched sides to the aggressor state and began working in the illegally created bodies of the "Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Crimea",
The defendants held various positions in the occupation structures, prepared procedural documents, supported the prosecution in courts, and actually ensured the functioning of the illegal justice system under the laws of the Russian Federation.
15.50 Ukrainian Defense Forces struck Russian air defense systems and drone depots. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this. The air defense systems hit were the Tor anti-aircraft missile system in the temporarily captured Kurakhivka, Donetsk region, and the 2S6 Tunguska air defense system in the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation.
The Defense Forces also struck the Nebo-U radar station in the Suponevo district of the Bryansk region. The extent of damage to the facilities is being determined.
In addition, logistical facilities were hit, in particular a fuel and lubricants warehouse in the temporarily captured Vedmezhe, Luhansk region, as well as an ammunition warehouse, a material and technical equipment warehouse, and a missile and artillery weapons warehouse in the temporarily captured part of the Donetsk region.
Also affected were the unmanned aerial vehicle storage facility in the Staromykhaylivka area and the Shahed UAV storage facility in Makiivka, Donetsk region.
15.29 The occupation authorities sentenced three teenagers from Melitopol to 7-8 years in prison, effectively punishing them for their Ukrainian identity. This was reported by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
"Three children from temporarily occupied Melitopol received cruel sentences. The occupiers sentenced them to 7-8 years in prison. These are children who were supposed to live, study, dream, and build their future. At the time of their detention, they were 16-17 years old. For more than two years, they were in conditions that cannot be called humane: they were beaten, tortured, and psychologically broken," Lubinets noted.
15.20 As part of the expansion of drone production for the Ukrainian army, units of the National Guard of Ukraine will receive 15,000 STRILA interceptor drones financed by Germany. This was reported by the German Embassy in Ukraine.
"Another 15,000 Ukrainian-made STRILA interceptor drones funded by Germany for the National Guard! The multi-million dollar agreement also provides for training, logistical support, and further joint development of UAVs," the report says.
On April 14, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine introduced changes regarding the provision of housing assistance for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced this on Telegram.
13.24 On March 22-23, the Ukrainian military struck important facilities of Russia's fuel and energy infrastructure. Thus, the Transneft oil terminal - Primorsk port (Primorsk, Leningrad region, Russian Federation), as well as the Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim oil refinery in Ufa, Russian Federation (Republic of Bashkortostan), were hit. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported details.
12.56 Law enforcement officers "hot on the trail" detained the perpetrator of the terrorist attack in the town of Bucha near Kyiv. The SBU reported this. The perpetrator was a 21-year-old local resident. According to preliminary information, he was recruited by Russian special services via the Internet.
The unknown person convinced the young man to plant explosives and carry out the explosion so that his mother would remain alive.
12.37 For four days of the week, from March 17 to 20, the intensity of the offensive actions of the Russian army increased at the front. The enemy tried to break through the defense of the Ukrainian troops in several strategic directions at once, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrsky, reported on Telegram.
12.12 The Russian Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga suspended loading of oil and petroleum products on March 22 after a drone attack, Reuters reported, citing industry sources.
12.00 Information about the alleged advance of Russian troops in Vovchansk and Synkivka in the Kharkiv region is not true. The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to hold their positions. This is stated in the statement of the Joint Forces Group.
According to military information, in the South Slobozhansky direction, the enemy attacked positions in the direction of Starytsia, Volchansky Khutor, Zybyne, and Okhrimivka, but the Russian assault groups were destroyed.
In Volchansk, Russian troops continue to attempt to break through the defenses, but the Ukrainian military is holding its positions.
The Group emphasized that the statements about the promotion in Vovchansk and Synkivka are unreliable.
11.45 A fuel and lubricants warehouse is on fire in the village of Krym, Rostov Region. Footage posted on social media shows smoke spreading hundreds of meters from the scene of the fire. The cause of the fire has not been reported.
11.22 In the Zaporizhia region, three civilians were killed and three more were injured due to Russian shelling over the past day.
In Komyshuvas, a 54-year-old local resident was fatally wounded in an airstrike. Another 54-year-old man was also wounded. In Ostrivske and Mykhailivske, the Russians used drones: a 54-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman were killed, and a 19-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were wounded.
The attacks damaged private and apartment buildings, outbuildings, transport, and infrastructure.
10.58 Counterintelligence and police officers managed to prevent a terrorist attack in Poltava against Ukrainian soldiers, which was being prepared by 16-year-old teenagers. The SBU reported this. The terrorists planned to remotely activate the bomb as the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine approached the bombed vehicle.
10.36 On Monday morning, five regions of Ukraine experienced new power outages due to attacks by Russian aggressors. Ukrenergo reported this. Where security conditions currently allow, emergency restoration work has already begun.
10.23 SBI employees have completed a pre-trial investigation into a former deputy of the Odessa City Council. The indictment has been sent to court. The former deputy faces up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.
The investigation established that in late February 2014, the defendant, acting in collusion with representatives of the political structures of the aggressor state, organized a mass pro-Russian event in Odessa. Its participants called on the Russian leadership to deploy troops to the territory of Ukraine, allegedly to "protect the Russian-speaking population."
The accused also maintained contact with representatives of the aggressor state, provided them with information about the socio-political situation in the region, and coordinated the activities of controlled pro-Russian organizations.
In addition, he publicly supported the holding of an illegal "referendum" on the accession of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to Russia and called for a similar "referendum" in Odessa.
While on Russian territory before the full-scale invasion, the defendant participated in public events where he approved the actions of the aggressor state.
9.59 On March 16, Russian troops attacked the center of Kyiv with a Lancet-type drone, which has recently been significantly modernized. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's General Directorate of Defense reported this on Telegram.
9.59 Two law enforcement officers were injured as a result of explosions of unknown objects near an apartment building in Bucha. This was reported by the head of the Kyiv OVA Mykola Kalashnyk.
"This morning in Bucha, an explosion of an unknown object occurred near an apartment building. The explosion damaged the windows in the building. Later, another explosion of an unknown device occurred nearby," he wrote on Telegram.
As a result, two law enforcement officers were injured. The injured were hospitalized, according to preliminary information, their condition is moderate, there is no threat to life. Further treatment will be outpatient, without the need for hospitalization.
The police are investigating the terrorist attack.
9.25 Russian occupiers launched a massive attack on the Odessa region on the night of March 22. The enemy attacked the region with strike drones. This was reported by the head of the Odessa regional military administration, Oleg Kiper, on Telegram.
9.24 On the morning of March 23, Russian troops attacked Kryvyi Rih twice, four people were injured. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA, Oleksandr Ganzha, on Telegram.
"A fire broke out due to an enemy attack. Rescuers have already extinguished the fire. Two men, aged 31 and 58, were injured. Medics are providing them with the necessary assistance," he wrote.
Ganzha later reported a second attack on Kryvyi Rih and two more casualties.
"The enemy attacked Kryvyi Rih for the second time. Infrastructure was damaged. A fire broke out. Two people were injured. Medics are providing assistance," the head of the OVA wrote.
The head of the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council, Oleksandr Vilkul, clarified that the injured were men aged 60 and 36. One was taken to the hospital with shrapnel wounds, while the other was treated on the spot.
According to him, apartment buildings were damaged in the Metallurgical District.
Vilkul said that the Russians massively attacked the city with "Shaheeds" at night and in the morning.
8.58 During March 22, 134 combat clashes with the invaders took place at the front. The most active fighting continued in the Pokrovsky direction, where the Russian army carried out 29 attacks. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
8.43 Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 251 attack drones of various types on the night of March 23. Air defense forces neutralized 234 enemy drones. This is reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7.59 The Russians have announced a massive drone attack in the Leningrad Region (Lenoblast) of the Russian Federation, as well as "damage to a fuel tank" and a fire in the port of Primorsk. This is according to a Telegram message from the Russian publication Astra, which positions itself as independent.
7.42 Russia has lost another 970 of its occupiers in the war against Ukraine over the past 24 hours, according to data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
04.55 Drones attacked Russia's largest oil terminal on the Baltic Sea at the port of Primorsk, in the Leningrad Region. The attack caused a fire.
01.24 In the Kirovograd region, a woman was injured and residential buildings were damaged as a result of a massive attack by Russian drones.
00:45 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there were signs of a possible continuation of the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia. Meanwhile, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff said that security systems and humanitarian efforts were at the center of two-day talks between Ukraine and the United States.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] The Russian invaders are making their main efforts in the areas of Konstantinovka, Pokrovsk, and Gulyaipol.
Since the beginning of the day, Russian aggressors have launched 116 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in 11 directions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational summary on Monday, March 23.
Thus, 13 clashes occurred in the North Slobozhansk and Kursk directions.
In the South Slobozhansk direction, the enemy attacked four times near the settlements of Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, and Starytsia.
In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy carried out six assaults near the settlements of Petropavlivka, Borivska Andriivka, Novoplatonivka, and Boguslavka. One battle is still ongoing.
In the Lyman direction, since the beginning of the day, the enemy made one unsuccessful attempt to improve its position near the settlement of Dibrova.
In the Slavyansk direction, three assaults were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Yampil, Platonovka, and Riznykovka. One clash is currently ongoing.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, the invaders carried out 13 offensive actions near Kostyantynivka, Pleshchiivka, Illinivka, Kleban-Byk and towards Novopavlivka. Two clashes are ongoing.
In the Pokrovsky direction, 17 assaults were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Rodynske, Myrnograd, Hryshyne, Pokrovsk, Udachne, Molodetske and towards the settlements of Novooleksandrivka and Svitle. One clash has not yet been completed.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy carried out seven attacks near the settlements of Stepove, Novohrygorivka, Krasnohirske, and Zlagoda.
In the Hulyaipil direction, 13 attacks occurred in the areas of Olenokostyantynivka, Zaliznychne, Hulyaipil, Varvarivka, Zeleny, Svyatopetrivka, and Myrny.
One clash was recorded in the Prydniprovs'kyi direction.
There is currently a lull in the Kramatorsk and Orikhiv directions.
As we recall, on March 17-20, the Russians tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops in several strategic directions at once. This was reported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrsky.
Earlier it became known that the Armed Forces of Ukraine thwarted a large-scale offensive by the Russian army near Liman. There, the enemy made the largest breakthrough attempt since the beginning of hostilities in this area. But the attack was repelled, the Third Army Corps reported.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:02 Fighters of the "North" group are expanding abuffer zone in the Sumy region. They are covered by mobile air defense groups, using Yolka interceptor drones that automatically locate, pursue, and destroy targets. 20:39 In the period from 13:00 Moscow time to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 67 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Leningrad, Kursk, Kaluga, Tula, Ryazan, Bryansk, Belgorod, Smolensk, Oryol, Yaroslavl regions, the Republic of Crimea and the Moscow region.
19:31 Drone operators of the Sever group destroyed vehicles and a ground robotic platform of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Sumy direction.
Crews of the Molniya strike UAVs from the Vostok group destroyed underground enemy ammunition depots in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Drone operators from the Center group destroyed heavy helicopters, UAV control centers, equipment, and personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Dobropillya direction.
UAV operators from the Zapad group carried out strikes against a UAV control point and enemy personnel in the Krasnolimansk direction.
FPV drone crews from the Southern Group of Forces, using a heavy UAV, destroyed Ukrainian Armed Forces fortifications in the Konstantinovsky direction.
15:35 Slavyansk direction. Assault groups have taken up new positions in Dibrova. MAP.
14:31 In the period from 9:00 Moscow time to 13:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 19 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type:
Seven UAVs over the territory of the Kursk region,
Five UAVs over the territory of the Tula region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Ryazan region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Leningrad region, and
One UAV over the territory of the Bryansk region.
13:38 Konstantinovka. Assault units are advancing in the central part of the city, MAP.
12:26 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of March 23, 2026
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct a special military operation.
Units of the "North" force group improved their position along the forward edge. They defeated the personnel and equipment of the territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Myropillia, Novaya Sich, and Kondratovka in Sumy Oblast.
In the Khar'kov region, units of the mechanized and motorized infantry brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the territorial defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Sosnovy Bor, Polnaya, Maryino, Verkhnyaya Pisarevka and Staritsa in the Khar'kov region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 245 service members, ten vehicles, and two artillery pieces. Three ammunition depots, a fuel depot, and eight supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" force grouping improved their tactical position. They defeated the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defense brigade, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Studenok, Novoosinovo, Shiykovka, and Borovaya in the Khar'kov region, and Stary Karavan, Svyatogorsk, Krasny Liman, and Korovy Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 180 troops, a tank, an armored combat vehicle, 20 vehicles, and an artillery piece. An electronic warfare station and four ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces occupied more advantageous lines and positions. They defeated formations of three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, an airmobile brigade, and a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlements of Konstantinovka, Slavyansk, Ilyinovka, Nikolaevka, Druzhkovka, Nikolaypolye, and Novodmitrovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 180 troops, 10 vehicles, a field artillery gun, and an electronic warfare station. An ammunition depot and three supply depots were destroyed.
11:07 In the period from 7:00 Moscow time to 9:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 29 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type over the territories of the Leningrad, Kaluga, Kursk, Ryazan, Lipetsk regions and the Moscow region.
10:08 122mm BM-21Grad MLRS crew covered enemy concentration area in the Dnepropetrovsk direction.
08:59 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 249 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Kaluga, Kursk, Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, Tver, Tula regions, the Moscow region and over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
08:23 Crew of the 122mm D-30 gun of the Tula paratroopers destroyed infantry group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Sumy region.
The crew of the 152mm 2SS19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzer from the Vostok group hit enemy strongholds with Krasnopol guided munitions in the Zaporizhzhia region.
07:33 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Expansion of the control zone in the Rozhdestvenskoye-Gerasimovka area
Potapovka was liberated
Enemy counterattacks in Minkovka
Enemy is present in Mirny
Adjustment of the control zone in Kupyansk in favor of the enemy
06:33 A Fagot ATGM crew from the 58th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Dnepr group destroyed an armored combat vehicle and a pickup truck with Ukrainian Armed Forces infantry.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] A 56-carat gem-quality diamond was discovered at the V. Grib deposit in the Arkhangelsk region.AGD Diamonds reported this to TASS on March 23.
According to a report, a 56-carat diamond measuring 23.7 x 22.7 x 16.4 mm was recovered at a mining and processing plant in the Mezen District. The stone is the second exceptionally large diamond (+50 carats) recovered at this deposit this year and the 53rd exceptionally large diamond discovered since the deposit's commercial development began.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Artemy Sharapov
[REGNUM] With the onset of consistently warm weather, the front in the Northern Military District (NVO) has begun to move in several directions at once. In recent weeks, several new weapons developments have been tested along the line of contact.
The Russian Armed Forces have a new version of the Geranium-5 drone with a jet engine, which allows it to reach high speeds, reports Rossiya-24.
Such drones, resembling small cruise missiles, are a particularly challenging target for air defense systems, Denis Fedutin, an expert on unmanned aircraft and editor-in-chief of the UAV.ru internet portal, explained to Regnum News Agency.
"The jet engine gives the drone a significantly increased speed range—around 600–700 km/h versus 150–170 km/h for the basic piston-engine version, " the source explained. " High flight speed reduces the reaction time of enemy air defense systems, which, accordingly, increases the likelihood of overcoming these defenses."
The Geranium rocket launchers are an effective weapon at medium range and are suitable for precision strikes in the operational rear.
At the same time, reports are emerging about the massive use of drones of this model at long distances – against targets in Kyiv, when the Ukrainian air defense system is powerless.
Experts believe that the development of turbojet UAVs will focus on reducing their thermal signature and increasing flight endurance.
RANGE EXTENSION
Another technology that Russian operators have been developing in recent weeks is drone-carrier drones. Typically, these drones are carried by Geran-2-class UAVs, which, instead of a warhead, carry several FPV drones.
This was announced by Dmitry Kuzyakin, chief designer of the Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions. He explained, in particular, that Geranium can act as a control signal delivery and relay system for small drones, transforming it into a "drone mother."
Until 2025, reports of "drone carriers" were considered unverified. But in mid-September last year, even the enemy admitted: a Russian Lancet loitering munition had reached Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv.
It is known that the latest modifications of the Lancet can strike at a distance of up to 100 km - this explanation was given at the end of February by Artem Krasnoperov, a reconnaissance operator of the Center group of forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
But the combination of an unmanned aerial vehicle plus a loitering munition launched from that vehicle allows for high-precision strikes at significant distances, while bypassing air defense activity.
This is what the Ukrainian Armed Forces were forced to admit in September 2025, when the Lancet reached the center of the Ukrainian capital.
Another alarming sign for the Ukrainian army is the expanding range of our fiber-optic-controlled drones. The connection between the drone and the operator is established via a cable, and electronic warfare (EW) systems cannot jam the control signal. According to recent reports, fiber-optic FPV drones have begun to reach the central districts of Kharkiv and Sumy, covering distances of tens of kilometers from the fiber-optic base.
USE OF AI
Russia is developing developments that allow combat drones to independently select targets. This includes the Svod UAV, which is equipped with a system for intelligent guidance, tracking, and autonomous target engagement, combining machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
Andrey Ivanov, a specialist at the Kulibin Club and chief designer of the Ovod drone family (which also includes the Svod), spoke about the capabilities of the new weapon.
New technological solutions allow the device to independently detect and identify a target and transmit the data to the operator. The operator can then confirm the attack or cancel the order. The first batch of drones of this model has already been delivered to the troops, Ivanov reported.
Experts believe that further development of AI and machine learning technologies could eventually allow drones to operate completely autonomously, noted UAV specialist Denis Fedutinov.
"Potentially, this approach could allow the human operator to be left out of the combat mission process," the expert noted. "This, in turn, could provide several advantages."
The first advantage is that the drone's operational range will increase, as the device will be independent of the communication channel's range. Secondly, robotics can ensure the drone's operational capability in conditions of electronic countermeasures.
Thirdly, this means a reduction in fatigue and the "blurred vision" effect that is typical for a human operator "in the control loop." And finally, fourthly, this leads to increased safety for personnel operating drones.
But there are several factors that are currently holding back the spread of such solutions, notes Fedutinov: "AI still has a high error rate. Furthermore, there's a formal lack of accountability for decisions that could ultimately prove erroneous. Third, there's society's moral unwillingness to delegate such sensitive tasks to a machine."
TURBOJET "PRODUCTS"
In early March, information surfaced online about the use of Russia's newest air-to-surface missile, known as "Izdeliye 30." The missile is equipped with folding wings with a span of approximately three meters and a warhead weighing approximately 800 kg. This is almost twice the weight of the Kh-101 strategic air-to-surface missiles also used by the Russian Aerospace Forces, Vesti explained.
The Izdeliye 30 has an average range of 1,500 kilometers. The missile is equipped with a compact turbojet engine, which provides a cruising speed of approximately 720 km/h.
The missile's warhead is reported to weigh 800 kg, compared to 400 kg for the X-101, with the same wingspan as the X-101 - 3 meters.
On March 2, enemy sources presented the remains of a "previously unknown" Russian missile, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported. Experts (who assessed footage of the missile's flight that appeared on social media) believe that the "Izdeliye 30" missiles were used in the strike on targets in Ukraine on March 16.
Geolocation specialists determined that the video was filmed in the skies over the Chernihiv region, with the missile heading toward Kyiv.
The Defense Ministry's November 16 report does not mention strategic aviation aircraft, suggesting that the new missiles are being adapted to arm tactical bombers, military expert Alexander Mikhailovsky noted in a comment to Regnum News Agency.
"It's quite possible that Su-34 tactical bombers, or the latest fifth-generation Su-57 fighters, could be used as carriers for these new missiles, " the source noted. " In that case, the intensity of cruise missile strikes against Kyiv regime targets will only increase in the future. After all, with the introduction of the Izdeliye 30, there will be no need to launch heavy strategic bombers."
The source added that serial production of the Izdeliye 30 could provide the Russian army with a cheaper and more widely available cruise missile. It's also possible that the new munition could be used with ground-based launchers.
Overall, experts note, advanced developments in the Russian military-industrial complex make it possible to attack a wide range of targets, regardless of their distance from the front. Moreover, new and modified drones and missiles are becoming increasingly difficult targets for the enemy.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
