According to Ukrainian military statistics, Russia has used more than 1,400 jet-powered attack drones against targets in Ukraine since the start of 2026, an eightfold increase from the 180 recorded in 2025. The Russian forces are operating "Gran-3," "Gran-4" and "Gran-5" drones, which have higher speeds that make it easier to evade mobile air defense units and harder to track.
The Gran-3 (also known as Shahed-238) cruises at 350–550 km/h with a range of up to 1,500 km. The Gran-4 has an 850 km range and can carry a 50‑kg warhead, while the Gran-5, the largest of the series, is powered by a TeleFly TF‑TJ2000A turbofan engine.
Ukrainian Armed Forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi previously warned that Russia aims to raise the share of jet-powered drones to about 50 percent of all attack drones used in its air operations.