--- title: "Shaheds shut down engines before impact: new tactics of Russian jet drones revealed in Ukraine" description: "Ukrainian presidential advisor Serhiy Beskrestnov described a new tactic for Russian jet Shaheds: drones shut down their engines before impact, gliding by inertia, and approach at low altitudes." date: 2026-11-12T12:36:13.477Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/shaheds-shut-down-engines-new-tactics tags: [shahed-drones, geran-5, ukraine-air-defense, russia-ukraine-war, jet-drones] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Shaheds shut down engines before impact: new tactics of Russian jet drones revealed in Ukraine ![Jet-powered drone system "Geran-5" on a launcher before takeoff](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/12/shahedy-vyklyuchayut-dvigatel-pered-udarem-novaya-taktika/shahedy-vyklyuchayut-dvigatel-pered-udarem-novaya-taktika-1.webp) ## Key Points - According to Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov, the new tactic involves shutting down the jet engine before the strike and gliding to the target in silence. - The theory about an additional silent electric motor on the Shahed has been debunked: no such component exists. - Low-altitude approaches to the target are also being recorded where there are no obstacles along the flight path. - Jet drones are increasingly reaching western regions; air defense is adapting by using the Buk+Kub pairing and electronic warfare. The Russian military has shifted to a new tactic for operating jet-powered Shahed drones (designated as "Geran" in Russian nomenclature): before completing an attack, operators shut down the main engine, allowing the drone to glide to its target by inertia while making almost no sound. This was reported by Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov, an advisor to the President of Ukraine on the development of defense technologies, as noted by RBC-Ukraine. ### The "Silent Approach" Tactic According to Beskrestnov, the jet engine provides the apparatus with sufficient acceleration and momentum to cover the final leg of the flight in silence. It is this, rather than any new components, that makes the final approach of the drone harder to detect. "Information is circulating about an additional electric motor on the Shahed for silent flight. Such an engine does not exist, but what does exist is the tactic of shutting down the jet engine before the strike," the advisor stated. ### Myth of the "Electric" Silent Motor Thus, Beskrestnov debunked the version circulating in open sources that Russian drones were equipped with a separate silent electric motor. By his assessment, the real mechanism for reducing acoustic visibility is not new equipment, but a change in the flight profile: after the turbine is shut down, the craft uses its accumulated kinetic energy. This is important for planning the operations of detection systems that focus on the characteristic noise of a running engine. ### Low-Altitude Approaches In addition to the "silent approach," there have been recent reports of attempts to approach targets at very low altitudes—where there are no obstacles in the Shahed's trajectory. Beskrestnov emphasizes that both factors must be taken into account by mobile firing groups and other air defense elements: "A Shahed can appear out of nowhere." The combination of a low profile and a silent final segment significantly reduces the time available for detection and interception. ### Context: How Jet Drones Reach the West The new tactic fits into a broader trend. As Yuriy Ihnat, Chief of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command, previously explained, jet-powered UAVs are already closer to cruise missiles in their tactical and technical characteristics and are increasingly appearing over western regions—Rivne, Volyn, Khmelnytskyi, and Lviv. According to him, the range depends on what the device is "loaded" with: if part of the payload, such as the warhead, is sacrificed, the freed-up space is used for fuel, which allows it to fly further and also conduct reconnaissance. Visually, the "Geran-5" is already more reminiscent of a missile, which is why it is often called a "drone-missile." ### Air Defense Response and the Role of Electronic Warfare Ukrainian defense forces are adapting their interception methods to the new threat. Specifically, the 156th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment named after Maksym Kryvonis demonstrated the combined use of the Kub air defense system launcher and the Buk firing unit: the Buk detects the target and provides illumination, while the 3M9 missile from the Kub flies autonomously to the target and acquires it with its seeker head at close range. In parallel, electronic warfare assets remain one of the key tools of air defense: according to The Wall Street Journal, the "Lima" system diverted two ballistic missiles heading for a government facility in Kyiv into the Dnipro River this year. Previously, Beskrestnov also noted that due to distributed communication channels, the entire country would not be left without internet, and the strike on the Inkom business center in Kyiv was filmed by Russians without the use of any "secret technologies." ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Россияне начали применять реактивные "Шахеды" по-новому, - "Флэш"](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiyani-pochali-zastosovuvati-reaktivni-1794484191.html) - Primary source: Beskrestnov's statement on the tactic of shutting down the jet engine before the strike, debunking the electric motor version, low-altitude approaches, mention of "Lima" by WSJ, context about Inkom and internet. - [Как реактивные "Шахеды" долетают до запада Украины: Игнат раскрыл, чем жертвуют россияне](https://www.unian.net/war/reaktivnye-rakety-shahed-na-zapade-ukrainy-kak-oni-doletayut-do-lvovskoy-oblasti-i-volyni-13540035.html) - Context: Ihnat's explanation of jet UAV range over western regions and payload/fuel trade-off, term "drone-missile" for "Geran-5". - [Силы обороны объединили два ЗРК, чтобы эффективно сбивать реактивные "Шахеды"](https://www.unian.net/weapons/dva-ukrainskih-zrk-rabotayut-v-pare-chtoby-effektivno-sbivat-reaktivnye-drony-13522218.html) - Context: Combined use of Kub and Buk air defense systems in the 156th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment to intercept jet drones. - [Эксперт по вооружениям объяснил, почему россияне модифицируют реактивные дроны](https://news.liga.net/war/news/ekspert-po-vooruzheniyam-obyasnil-pochemu-rossiyane-pereoboruduyut-reaktivnye-drony) - Additional context about jet drone modifications; not used in the text as a separate fact, but consistent with the general theme. ## FAQ ### What exactly does the new Shahed usage tactic mean? According to Serhiy Beskrestnov, operators shut down the jet engine before the strike, and the drone coasts to the target by inertia, making almost no sound. ### Is it true that a silent electric motor was installed on Shaheds? No. Beskrestnov stated that such an engine does not exist; it is a matter of the tactic of shutting down the jet engine before the strike. ### What other factor complicates interception? Approaches to the target are being recorded at very low altitudes where there are no obstacles in the trajectory. ### How is air defense adapting to jet drones? A combination of the Kub and Buk air defense systems is being used, along with electronic warfare; according to the WSJ, the "Lima" system diverted two ballistic missiles into the Dnipro this year.