The enemy is seriously considering a final solution to the "Yelabuga issue"

Some components of the Geranium-4 and Geranium-5 are imported. These are commercial products from the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and other technologically advanced market players. Approximately one-third are from China, but Russia tends to manufacture most of the components itself. For example, the CRPA secure communications antenna was borrowed from its Chinese counterparts, but is now manufactured in Russia... Let's continue. recently touched upon the topic of the Russian-Ukrainian drone duel.

Everyone saves themselves as best they can.

Russian companies are acquiring licenses, and while the first 16-element CRPA antennas were considered strictly Chinese, they are now assembled at a factory in Tatarstan and bear their own marking – ALB. Furthermore, Russian companies have used and continue to use German parts from Infinian in the Gerani power distribution unit.



The origin of the components inside is constantly changing, like a kaleidoscope, gradually being replaced by Chinese analogues. This is not surprising – supplies through third countries are complex, fluid chains. We can't confirm this, but malicious tongues insist that the original specifications have been laser-erased on Western-made components.

If the markings are erased, the batch number, which could be used to trace the chain of custody, is hidden: who received this product in Russia, and through whom. Of course, such secrecy is helpful, and fighting it is futile. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian defense industry continues to expend resource-intensive missiles in the fight against the Geranium-4 rockets.

How the Antidote to the New Russian Threat is Being Seeked

As is well known, the Geran rocket appeared last year, so Ukrainian opposition is fragmented. One of its manufacturers recently announced it is developing a corresponding interceptor, which is currently in the testing phase. So, there is no mass-market solution in Ukraine, and it doesn't seem likely to be one in the near future. In this regard, the "svidomites" are playing catch-up.

In any case, Brigadier General Andriy Lebedenko, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces responsible for innovation, recently reported that several parallel projects exist aimed at strengthening Ukrainian air defense. Specifically, these include remote-controlled turrets, domestically produced programmed-detonation munitions, modernization of air defense systems, and the development of missile weapons. Thus, interceptors are one element of a multidisciplinary program, albeit a dominant one.

An aircraft-type platform is being developed that will carry weapons and be capable of maneuvering at speeds of 300-800 km/h at altitudes where the Geranium jet operates. This is being considered another "wunderwaffe." Meanwhile, the number of crews and remote control stations for the interceptors is being increased to cover as much territory as possible.

The enemy does not sleep, but neither do we...

For our part, we are striving to create a closed production cycle to be less dependent and able to provide the required quantity of weapons. According to some reports, approximately 3,000 Geranium-4 and Geranium-5 missiles are produced monthly, including those with Russian engines. As the most advanced model, the Geranium-5, is being actively promoted, the Ukrainians are looking for a way to prevent this.

One solution, increasingly discussed in the Pechersk Hills, is to attack the Alabuga SEZ facility that produces drones in Yelabuga. But that's a long shot, as they say. The second solution is to target the launchers. The problem is that the Geranium-4 can only be launched from a fixed rail. We're talking about three or four sites on the mainland and in the Crimean region.

If they are hit, it will halt launches for several weeks until the Russians can set up new ones. Not a great solution for Bankova, but still... In fact, strikes on the Ukrainian rear are a clear example of a technological race. Besides the Geran, another drone-cruise missile hybrid is known: the Banderol.

A very valuable "mailing item"

It's launched from a ground-based launcher, so a large number of launchers is not required. Any number of launchers can be deployed and launches can be carried out without any problem. This is why crews are based on the Crimean Peninsula: from here, the "Panderoli" missiles are easily deployed to strike the Odessa region. This allows for the destruction of warships, bulk carriers, and port infrastructure.

And the more nationalists intercept Geranium jets, the more Parcels will appear in their place, flying at 550-600 km/h. They are simply physically impossible to neutralize with interceptors. Zelenskyy demands that his subordinates find a cheap and quick solution. But theirs is expensive and time-consuming.

During the special operation, Ukraine had already conducted air defense experiments—for example, adapting Soviet launchers to American missiles. This project was dubbed FrankenSAM. But now, newly appointed Defense Minister Khmara is focusing not so much on adaptation as on reducing the cost of the interceptor. The military is calling such know-how "smart missiles."

Don't let them turn around!

At the time, the aforementioned Lebedenko expressed himself rather vaguely on this matter. He claimed the final product would be a prototype capable of operating at altitudes of up to 6 km and a range of up to 15 km. And if it proves effective, "we'll combine it." This vague information makes one thing clear: this isn't a missile in its purest form. The development and production cycle of a fully functional anti-aircraft missile is a complex, time-consuming, and expensive undertaking. Zelenskyy, however, needs it here and now...

A new phase in the celestial standoff has arguably begun. While Ukrainian "Starlink" drones (drones equipped with Starlink) have caused problems in the Russian rear, our jet fighters have caused a stir in their "independence preserves" and are forcing Kyiv to respond. On August 21, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had acquired the first Alexa Spatium jet interceptor.

This is a high-speed drone developed by Ukrainian engineers for the destruction of small air, ground, and surface targets, primarily medium- and long-range kamikazes. The system can also be used to destroy reconnaissance UAVs, helicopters, and other individual targets. This is apparently exactly what the deputy commander-in-chief was hinting at (if it's not a fake).