Russia continues to adapt and evolve its copies of the long-range one-way attack drone Shahed-136, known locally as Geran, now arming it with a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS). These are more commonly referred to as shoulder-launched heat-seeking missiles. The development follows an earlier version of the drone that carries a single R-60 air-to-air missile, which you can read more about here. It also comes as Russia makes further modifications to the drone, including improved line-of-sight control capabilities and self-protection systems.
Russian forces mount Igla MANPADS on Shahed drones to target Ukrainian helicopters that intercept them. The drones carry a camera and a radio modem, and the missile is launched remotely by an operator on Russian soil. pic.twitter.com/T5TKPHyhVu
— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) January 4, 2026
An example of a MANPADS-equipped Shahed/Geran is seen in recent footage, including a video, showing the drone lying in the snow after falling intact in Ukraine, apparently in the Chernihiv region in the north of the country. According to Ukrainian reports, as well as the rail-mounted missile on top, the drone is equipped with a camera and radio frequency modem.
An overhead view of Shahed/Geran lying in the snow with (unused) Igla MANPADS mounted on top. through X
The missile itself was widely reported as an Igla-S, among the latest models of this widespread MANPADS. Known to Russia as the 9K388 and to NATO as the SA-24 Grinch, the weapon has a maximum range of about 3.7 miles, and improvements over previous Igla missiles include a more sensitive infrared seeker, a heavier warhead and an improved fuze.
A member of the Venezuelan military holds a 9K338 Igla-S MANPADS launcher in Caracas on October 30, 2025. Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP FEDERICO PARRA
On the other hand, the inscription on the top of the launch tube appears to read 9K333, which would indicate that it is the more modern Verba (SA-29 Gizmo), which was developed as a replacement for the Igla. Its main advantage is its advanced multispectral seeker, which operates in the ultraviolet, near-infrared and mid-infrared bands for improved discrimination between targets and decoys.
Adapting the MANPADS to the Shahed/Geran seems simpler than the R-60, without the need for the launch rail adapter; instead, the MANPADS is simply attached to the drone in its standard launch tube. The complete needle, for example, is also much lighter: around 40 pounds in the tube, versus nearly 100 pounds for the R-60, minus the launch rail.
Russia has begun employing Shahed/Geran long-range UAVs equipped with air-to-air missiles to combat Ukrainian air assets, Ukrainian military radio technology expert Serhii Flash reports.
The remains of a Shahed/Geran drone with a short-range R-60 air-to-air… pic.twitter.com/NHBDQQqCK9
— Status-6 (War and Military News) (@Archer83Able) December 1, 2025
As for the drone, the original Shahed-136 is of Iranian origin. Several variants and derivatives of the Shahed-136, including a jet-powered type, are now mass-produced in Russian factories, where they are known locally as Geran, the Russian word for geranium. Constant improvements have been made to these drones, including some degree of dynamic targeting capability, as you can read here.
As we’ve discussed in the past, adding a heat-seeking anti-aircraft missile to the Shahed/Geran theoretically gives the drone a means to engage Ukrainian fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. At the very least, giving the drone the ability to respond to these threats provides a deterrent capability. Overall, the effectiveness of this combination is debatable. Special challenges include the need for a high degree of situational awareness, perhaps requiring cameras around the fuselage, and the need to maneuver the drone to get it into a reference location to achieve a lock. However, Russia clearly sees adaptation as worth exploring, even as a deterrence strategy to keep drone fighters at bay.
A profile view of Shahed/Geran armed with MANPADS, lying in the snow. through X
For some time Russia has been working on a man-in-the-loop (MITL) control capability for Shahed/Geran, a feature that was confirmed when they started showing up with cameras and cellular modems, something TWZ explored in detail at the time. These developments allow the drone to be connected to an operator. Standard Shaheds fly autonomous routes to pre-planned targets on autopilot with no man-in-the-loop control. They are fire and forget weapons.
Meanwhile, the range at which MITL can be reached has been steadily increased. At first, drones were adapted to exploit patchy cellular networks to provide additional connectivity when available. More recently, the Shaheds have flown with aerials that allow direct line-of-sight control close to the forward lines. This allows them to engage targets dynamically like an FPV drone, while packing a much heavier punch and being able to linger for long periods of time. You can read all about this development here. Now, the range of data links is extended using airborne signal relays, potentially creating a mesh network with multiple line-of-sight links. We also now see that Russian drones will have Starlink terminals, which could provide superior beyond-line-of-sight capability and could prove to be a big problem for Ukraine if Russia can produce such a setup in large volumes. These developments now blur the classification of the Shahed/Geran from its original long-range unidirectional attack drone to a roving munition with an on-board imaging capability.
Potentially, a Shahed/Geran armed with a MANPADS or an R-60 could use beyond-line-of-sight capabilities to operate the missile. But given that we know Russia uses drones closer to the front line, it would only need a direct link to nearby operators, or at least receivers/transmitters placed there. Drone controllers behind the lines could also “pick them up” once in the area, but such an operation is much more complex and fraught with additional risks.
However, acquiring the target and engaging a missile-armed drone is still far from simple. The modern seeker used by the Igla-S or Verba is likely to facilitate engagement of aerial targets, compared to the R-60, with a reduced need to “point” the drone directly at the target. However, the operator should initiate the launch of the missile after receiving the signal indicating that the lock has been achieved.
A close-up of the front end of the MANPADS, with an actuator fitted to open the protective cover covering the front of the tube before the missile is fired. through X
At the same time, the Shahed/Geran remains a slow-launching and not particularly agile platform, and certainly not one that was designed with air-to-air combat in mind. Adding a top-mounted missile also degrades its maneuverability and affects its stability, but less than it would with an R-60.
When it comes to finding aerial targets, the most likely scenario involves operating completely reactive to what is visually seen on cameras around the drone or otherwise searching for targets of opportunity. Another option would involve the drone operator receiving target information from external assets where appropriate, but this seems less likely.
Considering the Shahed/Geran’s performance and the range of the MANPADS, the most likely targets would be Mi-8/Mi-17 Hip-series armed transport helicopters and Mi-24 Hind-series gunships that are routinely tasked with counter-drone missions. We’ve already seen that lower and slower flying helicopters face notable risk from relatively small kamikaze drones simply flying into them. Ukrainian F-16s, MiG-29s, Su-27s and Mirage 2000s have also been assigned as “Shaheed fighters,” but engaging fighters with these weapons would be even more difficult. However, their very existence would add a credible threat to fighters approaching them.
Footage showing the door gunner on a Mil Mi-8 multi-role helicopter, with the Ukrainian Air Force using the M134 Minigun to shoot down a Russian Shahed-136 attack drone. pic.twitter.com/UWBd8QUXEf
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 12, 2025
While it remains to be seen how effective the Shahed/Geran combination is with a MANPADS (or R-60), these developments reflect an earlier precedent for arming drones with air-to-air missiles. The deterrent effect of this can be seen in at least one instance since 2002, when a US Air Force MQ-1 Predator drone fired a heat-seeking Stinger anti-aircraft missile at an Iraqi MiG-25 Foxbat fighter jet trying to shoot it down, which can be seen in the video below.
These measures also indicate Russia’s efforts to better defend Shahed/Geran drones. Another recent development involves the apparent addition of infrared countermeasures to defeat drone interceptors and possible missiles fired by fighters. Attached to the back of the drone’s stabilizing endplates, they appear to use electrically heated cylindrical blocks to generate booming infrared energy, like the Hot Brick system.
Ukrainian military radio technology specialist and consultant Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov reported that Russian Geran-2 drones are now capable of blinding interceptor drones and aircraft.
According to him, the Russians are equipping their attack UAVs with infrared projectors… pic.twitter.com/dtpnbKIklE
— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) January 3, 2026
So far, we have no evidence that a missile-equipped Shahed/Geran would attempt to engage a Ukrainian aircraft, let alone shoot one down. However, having long-range one-way attack drones equipped with air defense missiles provides another complicating factor for Ukraine and illustrates the ongoing modifications to these weapons.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com