Russian Forces Build Drone Launch Pad Near Millerovo Airfield

Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Agency (DIU) said Russian forces are constructing a new drone launch site 3.5 km from the Millerovo military airfield in Rostov Oblast. Satellite imagery reviewed by the agency shows the site under construction.

The design of the facility indicates it is meant to prepare and launch jet-powered attack drones, likely the Geran-4 and Geran-5 models and their variants. The DIU estimates that the completed site could support up to 100 launches per day.

The pace of the build has been fast. No active construction was visible at the location in late August. By mid-October, Russian forces had established launch positions and other infrastructure. The DIU attributed the speed to the use of previously tested technical solutions and a focus on relatively simple launch infrastructure. The location of the site, 3.5 km from the airfield, indicates Russia intends to use the same air defense systems that protect the airfield to defend the new site, the DIU said. The facility can also draw on the airfield's roads, communications, logistics, and technical support systems.

The actual rate of operations at the site will depend on the supply of finished drones, fuel, and warheads, along with the number of trained crews, equipment serviceability, and assigned tasks. The Russian military is also upgrading its jet-powered drones. A new Geran-4 variant includes autonomous navigation features such as an optical terrain-matching system, which is also being integrated into the K5 version of the Geran-5. The Geran-4 has a range of up to 770 km, while the Geran-5 can fly up to 950 km.

The Russian military has also equipped the Geran-4 with a domestically produced jet engine and a new warhead designed to strike bridges and electricity transmission towers. The new facility will expand Russia's network of attack drone launch sites, which the DIU said already includes at least 12 permanent facilities. The agency believes the site may be part of Russian preparations to intensify attacks on Ukraine over the winter.

The Ukrainian OSINT community Absolutely Reliable Source reported that as of October 12, the site had eight positions for launchers and 32 areas for preparing drones for launch.