On Monday, 1 December 2025, evidence appeared online in the form of video footage of the shoot-down and photographs of the wreckage of a Russian Geran-2 combat drone (a licensed Iranian Shahed-136 produced in series at the Yelabuga plant in Tatarstan), which was carrying a single Molniya/Vympel R-60 air-to-air missile (NATO/DIA designation: AA-8 Aphid).
Russia started employing Shahed/Geran-type long-range UAVs equipped with air-to-air missiles for combating Ukrainian aviation assets, Ukrainian military radio technology expert Serhii Flash reports.
The remains of a Shahed/Geran-type drone with an R-60 short-range air-to-air… pic.twitter.com/NHBDQQqCK9
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) December 1, 2025
Interception of the Russian Shahed kamikaze drone with an installed R-60 air-to-air missile.
It was intercepted by Darknode unit of the @usf_army, using STING anti-Shahed drone developed by the @wilendhornets and funded by @sternenkofund. https://t.co/XHEjuCP31F pic.twitter.com/oje4VOXTbz
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) December 1, 2025
According to the final seconds of thermal-imaging footage recorded by a Ukrainian Sting interceptor drone, which destroyed the Geran-2 in question, the R-60 missile was carried on the back of the Russian UAV on a weapons rail mounted just behind its nose.
Missiles of this type, developed in the Soviet era, in service since 1970 and modernized in the 1980s, are among the basic air-to-air missile systems. The missile is 2.09 m long, 120 mm in diameter, with a 390 mm fin span. It weighs 44 kg, of which 3 kg is the fragmentation warhead. It is guided to its target by an infrared seeker with a proximity fuze (the modernized R-60M version introduced a nitrogen-cooled seeker with an expanded field of view of ±20°, and increased dimensions). The missile reaches a maximum speed of Mach 2.47 thanks to its solid-fuel rocket motor, a ceiling of up to 20,000 m, and a range of up to 8 km.
This is the first known case of additional weapons being carried by Russian combat drones used against Ukraine. It appears the intention was to increase the survivability of the Geran drones, which are being shot down in large numbers by Ukraine, for self-defense against combat aircraft and helicopters, or possibly to create a low-cost interceptor drone.
The exact principle of missile launch from the UAV is unknown, but it appears likely to involve a man-in-the-loop mechanism rather than autonomous firing. This is especially plausible given that, as early as the beginning of 2024, Geran drones were observed to be equipped with Chinese camera heads and radio modems, forming an optical guidance system for operations at shorter ranges.
Russian Shahed-136/Geran-2 long-range OWA-UAV equipped with optical guidance system. pic.twitter.com/MNUqJ5NZQo
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) October 20, 2024
In the case of using an R-60 missile, target guidance would be achieved by properly positioning the drone in level flight. However, it is important to note that the Shahed-136/Geran-2 is a slow and relatively poorly maneuvering aircraft, originally designed as a one-way attack munition. It was not designed for air combat.
It is also unknown whether mounting a rail with an R-60 missile further affects the drone’s aerodynamics and range. Questions remain regarding its target-acquisition capabilities — whether target information would come from an external source, or whether the intended tactic is to react only when a Ukrainian aircraft attempts to intercept the Geran. The Russian concept appears highly improvised.
It is worth adding that the Ukrainians use R-60M missiles on their Su-25 Grach (NATO reporting name: Frogfoot) attack aircraft to shoot down drones, and these missiles have also been integrated onto Sea Baby unmanned combat boats (in addition, Ukrainian Magura V5 and V7 USVs use R-73 and AIM-9 missiles).
