Russia Uses Mass Geran Drone Strikes Across Ukraine as Starshield Slowdown Reported
Over five days, Russia has launched what observers describe as thousands of Geran drones at Ukraine, hitting hundreds of targets including high‑voltage substations and other civilian sites, while reports say Moscow is exploiting an ongoing Starshield speed restriction that hampers Ukrainian defenses.
Russia has mounted one of its largest drone campaigns of the war, sending what observers describe as thousands of Geran‑series drones toward Ukraine in the past five days and striking hundreds of targets across the country.
Open-source tracking indicates that Russian forces have mixed faster Geran‑4 and Geran‑5 drones with slower Geran‑2 models, often flying the slower type in large formations. Analysts say this combination forces Ukrainian air defenses to engage repeatedly while also exploiting gaps where slower drones can slip through.
The wave of attacks has hit a range of sites. Reporting points to multiple high‑voltage substations, industrial facilities and civilian locations being struck, though detailed assessments are incomplete. Regional authorities in Poltava region said a hostile unmanned aerial vehicle hit railway infrastructure at one enterprise. In western Ukraine’s Volyn region, Ukrainian sources described a “widespread blackout” after Russian Geran drones hit throughout the night, including a 330 kV substation near Kovel, areas around Manevychi and the outskirts of Lutsk.
As Russia intensifies its drone use, it also claims to be defending against similar attacks. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses shot down 149 drones overnight across various regions of Russia. Officials didn’t provide information about damage on the ground from those incidents.
A technical constraint on Ukraine’s side has drawn attention during this period. Open‑source commentary says Russia has been taking advantage of a speed restriction affecting Starshield, the satellite‑based communications system that Ukraine relies on for connectivity. Observers argue that this ongoing slowdown could complicate Ukrainian command and control, especially at night when large drone numbers are in the air.
For Ukrainian air defenses, the tempo creates a difficult cost calculation. Geran drones are relatively inexpensive for Russia compared with the advanced missiles often used to shoot them down. When Russia sends thousands of drones over a few days, Ukrainian commanders must decide when to employ high‑value interceptors and when to rely on guns, jammers and other short‑range systems, knowing that gaps in any sector can expose critical infrastructure.
For civilians, the impact shows up in blackouts, disrupted rail services and more time spent under air‑raid alerts. In Volyn, the hit on the 330 kV substation near Kovel cut power widely across the region. In Poltava region, damage to railway infrastructure complicates the movement of goods and people.
The pattern of drone strikes also complements Russia’s missile attacks on energy facilities, such as recent salvos against high‑voltage substations near Kyiv. Together, drones and missiles are targeting the backbone of Ukraine’s grid and transport network.
Key developments to watch include whether Starshield’s performance in Ukraine improves, whether Kyiv adjusts its prioritization between drone and missile interception, and whether Russia continues to focus on high‑voltage substations and rail infrastructure as primary drone targets.
Sources
- OSINT