Residents of the Sumy region in Ukraine shared a video documenting a Russian "Giran-5" jet-powered suicide drone flying over the area.
Of course, the Ukrainian armed forces seized the opportunity to highlight the emergence of this new drone, even though its use in targeting locations within Ukraine was not unprecedented. It is quite possible that these repeated complaints are part of a routine effort to draw the attention of Western allies in order to secure additional aid packages.
However, the drone itself is worthy of attention, as its technical characteristics take the "Geran" family to a new qualitative level.
At the beginning of 2026, the first information emerged about the use of a new Russian drone in the special military operation zone: the Guran-5 jet-powered suicide drone. Some open sources describe this system as a low-cost alternative to cruise missiles.
The new drone has a takeoff weight of approximately 850 kilograms, several times that of the Giran-2. This gives designers considerable flexibility in balancing fuel quantity and warhead weight according to target type and operational conditions. The basic version of the Giran-5 carries a high-explosive or thermobaric warhead weighing approximately 90 kilograms and has the capability to strike targets at a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers.
If the fuel capacity is reduced, the combat payload can be increased to between 120 and 130 kilograms. The drone is 6 meters long, with a wingspan of 5.5 meters.
Internally, this drone, described as "rocket-like," boasts a high degree of technical standardization with previous models in the family. It is equipped with a modern jam-resistant antenna, a GPS-based course correction unit, a 3G/4G modem, and an inertial navigation system.
In terms of destructive power, Ukrainian estimates indicate that the 90-kilogram warhead is equivalent in impact to four 152mm high-explosive artillery shells. This charge is sufficient to effectively destroy unfortified or unburied targets.
Thus, the "Giran-5" occupies an intermediate position between traditional suicide drones and full-fledged cruise missiles, as it combines long range and great destructive power, while maintaining relatively low operating and production costs.
