In a significant departure from tradition, Russia utilized a “virtual” military display during its May 9 Victory Day celebrations to debut the Geran-5, a new jet-powered cruise missile, Defence Express reported. The 2026 parade in Moscow was notably devoid of actual military hardware on Red Square, consisting only of marching units and a column of North Korean troops.

Instead, footage of the new missile and its 80-meter launcher was broadcast to the public, reportedly filmed at a launch site in the Orel region. JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Technical specifications and origins The Geran-5 represents Russia’s push into the “low-cost cruise missile” category, a class of weaponry intended for mass production and saturation attacks.

Driven by a jet engine, the missile can reach speeds of approximately 600 km/h, significantly faster than the propeller-driven Shahed/Geran variants. It carries a 90 kg warhead and has an operational range of 1,000 km. Advertisement Analysts at Defense Express note that the Geran-5 bears a striking resemblance to the Iranian Karrar missile.

Following Iranian design cues, the Geran-5 is being produced in versions armed with R-60 or R-73 air-to-air missiles, allowing it to potentially target Ukrainian interceptors or helicopters during flight. A threat to air defense The missile is constructed using highly unified components, including Chinese-made engines and various Western-sourced electronics.

Military experts suggest that mass production of the Geran-5 could overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, particularly when used in combination with slower drones and decoy missiles. Other Topics of Interest Revolt of the Masses: Why People Are Aggressive in Social Media, What to Do Kyiv Post analyzes present-day divisiveness accompanying social media – now at an alarming tenor – despite the intention to use technology to facilitate community through communication.

The “virtual” unveiling took place as Moscow experienced a rare reprieve from Ukrainian drone strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree establishing a geographic “no-strike zone” over Red Square for the duration of the parade to ensure the safety of a major humanitarian prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees from each side.

Despite the temporary pause in strikes on the capital, the debut of the Geran-5 underscores Russia’s focus on long-term aerial warfare capabilities.