Ukraine has demonstrated a new wave of progress in drone production. This includes military drones, demining drones, and drone interceptors designed to counter new modifications of the Russian Geran UAV. Additionally, Financial Times revealed Chinese involvement in Russian drones. This highlights once again that China is not a neutral party in the war, as it claims, but an influential economic actor.
Meanwhile, Russia has deployed a drone equipped with an R-60 guided missile for the first time.
Ukraine’s Developments
The first serial 18-inch FPV drone has appeared in Ukraine. Ptashka Drones unveiled a platform designed for larger combat units and increased flight range. The increased frame size allows the drone to carry heavier combat equipment. This enhances its overall payload capacity. It opens up the possibility of deploying more powerful weapons against fortified positions, equipment, or more complex targets. Moreover, the new platform can accommodate a larger battery. While this drone is not a universal solution, it represents an important step toward improvements, diversifying Ukraine’s drone capabilities.
On the ground, Ukraine has presented the Sirko-S1 drone equipped with the TROPIYA demining system. It is capable of remotely neutralizing minefields. Although the drone itself is not new, this modification is significant. In is not the first time of its evolution. Two years ago, the drone from Kharkiv-based Skylab was programmed to return to a point with a connection even without GPS or a compass. It relied solely on onboard sensors.
New Geran Modifications and China’s Role
At the beginning of 2025, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed that Russia is ramping up production of the Geran-3 drone. It is a clone of the Iranian Shahed-238 UAV. Intelligence also detected efforts to modernize the older Shahed-136 model.
Ukraine is learning how to counter these threats. On the night of November 30, Ukrainian STING interceptor drones successfully shot down several Russian Geran-3 jet-powered drones for the first time. The General Staff reported that Russia has already deployed 138 Geran-3 drones. Most of them were successfully destroyed by Ukrainian air defense forces.
Investigations also revealed Chinese involvement in Russian drone production. Businessman Wang Dinghua owns 5% of the company “Rustakt,” which manufactures the FPV drone VT-40. In addition, his companies, including “Shenzhen Minghuaxin,” have become major suppliers of components for Rustakt. Analysis of Russian customs data shows that “Shenzhen Minghuaxin” supplied components worth $304 million to Rustakt. They also supplied goods worth $107 million to its associated company, “Zavod Santex.” This underlines China’s substantial economic role in supporting Russia’s drone capabilities.
Conclusion
The year 2025 has once again highlighted the impact of drones in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Both Ukraine and Russia are making measurable progress. This includes developing new drone technologies and creating countermeasures. Ukraine’s advancements—from larger FPV combat drones to demining systems and interceptor drones—demonstrate growing sophistication and adaptability. Meanwhile, Russia continues to escalate its drone terroristic capabilities.
