Russia is building a large-scale base for its Geranium missiles near Millerovo
In just a few months, Russia has built a large-scale launch base for attack drones in the Rostov Region. It is located near the Millerovo military airfield, and once construction is complete, it will be capable of handling up to 100 launches per day. According to estimates by U.S. experts, the facility could be used, in particular, for the new “Geran-5” jet drones.
Business Insider reported on the base’s construction, citing satellite imagery from Planet Labs and Vantor. The images show how, in just a few months, an ordinary field near the Millerovo military airfield was transformed into a large military facility. As of August 8, the area was virtually empty. However, by September 12, the Russians had already built roads there and begun preparing sites for launchers and buildings.
By October 12, the images already showed storage facilities and auxiliary structures. And as of October 27, at least eight sites had been set up on the territory. At the same time, construction is not yet complete. According to analyst Brady Africa, some of the infrastructure and ammunition depots are still under construction. The launch rails for drones have also not yet been fully installed.
The base may be used for “Geran-5” jet drones
U.S. experts believe the new facility is intended for launching Russian “Geran-5” jet drones. These drones are significantly faster than previous models. As a result, it may be more difficult for Ukrainian air defenses to intercept them, particularly using interceptor drones. Once all construction is complete, the base will be capable of launching up to 100 drones per day. This capacity could significantly increase Russia’s ability to carry out massive attacks.
Senior Research Fellow Spencer Faragasso drew attention to one of the main indicators of the facility’s purpose. According to him, satellite images show two long catapults that are likely intended for launching drones. “The most obvious sign is the two longer drone launch catapults installed at the edge of the site,” the expert noted.
Russia is rapidly expanding its infrastructure for launching drones
Analysts are drawing attention not only to the scale of the new facility but also to the speed of its construction. In just a few months, the Russians were able to prepare the site, build roads, and erect some of the necessary structures. According to experts, this indicates that the Kremlin is betting on creating a standardized infrastructure for massive drone attacks. If Russia continues to expand its network of such facilities, it will be able to use multiple launch sites for drones.
Faragasso cited the speed of construction as one of the main causes for concern. After all, even the destruction of a single such facility will not necessarily halt launches for long. “What is concerning here is the fact that Russia was able to build this facility in such a short time... If one base is attacked and destroyed by cruise or ballistic missiles, another one could likely be built quickly,” the expert emphasized.
Thus, the new site near Millerovo could become an important part of Russia’s infrastructure for airstrikes. At the same time, its full capabilities will depend on the completion of construction and the installation of equipment for launching drones. This was reported by Business Insider.
Russian “Geran-5” jet drones can reach speeds of up to 1,000 km/h during certain maneuvers, according to radio technology specialist Sergey “Flash” Beskrestnov.
Open-source intelligence analysts detected Russian drones flying over northern Ukraine in a westerly direction at speeds that could have reached 700–800 km/h. This may indicate that “Geran-5”-type drones have become faster, though there is no definitive confirmation of this theory.
