Ukrainian air defenders release first video of Geran-5 interception by Bars jet drone

The 1021st Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Brigade has released a video showing a jet-powered Bars drone intercepting an enemy Geran-5 cruise missile. It is the first publicly released footage of the Bars in the interceptor role.

Judging by the video, the interceptor detonated far from the target, but the Bars’ substantial warhead likely allowed it to hit the enemy weapon.

The Bars is currently considered the most effective means of shooting down Russian jet-powered drones. President Volodymyr Zelensky said so in early October.

According to Zelensky, the Bars has a kill rate of about 30% against jet-powered aerial targets, the highest among interceptor drones used against the enemy’s jet-powered UAVs.

Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara also recently said one unit destroyed five jet-powered Gerans with five Bars drones, a 100% success rate. According to Khmara, they are now studying and scaling up this experience, bringing in additional specialists and units.

The Bars was created as a long-range jet-powered strike drone. Its base version has a stated range of up to 700 km and a 22.5 kg warhead. The modified platform has a range of up to 1,000 km, a warhead of up to 60 kg and a speed of more than 700 km/h.

A developer representative says the Bars has undergone more than 40 upgrades and iterations. The platform’s modular design lets operators change the fuel-to-warhead ratio for different missions.

The developer has also reported that the long-range model can be controlled in real time over enemy territory. In the final phase of flight, the operator can steer the drone manually or hand control over to an optical terminal guidance system.

The Bars is currently considered the most effective means of shooting down Russian jet-powered drones. President Volodymyr Zelensky said so in early October.

According to Zelensky, the Bars has a kill rate of about 30% against jet-powered aerial targets, the highest among interceptor drones used against the enemy’s jet-powered UAVs.

Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara also said recently that one unit destroyed five jet-powered Gerans with five Bars drones, meaning a 100% success rate. According to Khmara, this experience is now being studied and scaled up, with additional specialists and units being brought in.

The Bars was created as a long-range jet-powered strike drone. Its base version has a stated range of up to 700 km and a 22.5 kg warhead. The modified platform has a range of up to 1,000 km, a warhead of up to 60 kg and a speed of more than 700 km/h.

A representative of the developer says the Bars has gone through more than 40 upgrades and iterations. The platform’s modular design makes it possible to change the ratio of fuel to warhead weight for different missions.

The developer has also reported that the long-range model can be controlled in real time over enemy territory. In the final phase of flight, the operator can steer the drone manually or hand control over to an optical terminal guidance system.