Ukraine warns Russia's new 3D-printed Filin cruise missile will eclipse Shahed drones
Ukrainian drone experts say Russia's newly unveiled Filin cruise missile, capable of higher speed and payload, will soon dominate the air war, making Shahed drones a minor threat.
Two leading Ukrainian drone analysts, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov and Serhii Sternenko, cautioned that Russia is shifting its aerial attack strategy toward the Filin cruise missile, a new 11-foot winged weapon that surpasses the jet-powered Shahed drones in several key areas. According to GUR, the Filin can fly at almost 500 mph, carry a 100 kg warhead, and operate at ultra-low altitudes or up to 3.7 miles high, with a range of 745 miles.
Unlike Shaheds, it does not require dedicated launch sites and can be deployed from helicopters, UAVs or ground launchers, using largely Russian-made components and 3D-printed fuselage sections. The missile also contains foreign electronics sourced from the United States, China, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan and the Netherlands. Beskrestnov and Sternenko warned that the mass use of such inexpensive cruise missiles could overwhelm Ukraine's air-defence network, reducing the Shahed threat to a minor concern.
Why it matters
The Filin missile could dramatically alter the balance of air power in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
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