Russia's New Filin Missile a Whole New Problem for Ukraine: Experts

Russia’s inexpensive Filin cruise missile could present a greater challenge than its jet-powered attack drones, two Ukrainian drone specialists warned, pointing to higher speed, better maneuverability and a heavier payload.

Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov and Serhii Sternenko, both former drone advisers to Ukraine’s defense ministry, said Moscow’s next expansion in aerial warfare could center on cheap cruise missiles.

“The mass use of this type of aerial attack weapon is what awaits us very soon,” Sternenko wrote on Telegram on Thursday, as reported by Business Insider.

Beskrestnov separately argued that Russia was prioritizing inexpensive missiles over jet-powered Shaheds as it developed its future arsenal.

Speed and Payload

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, GUR, published details of the 11-foot Filin on Wednesday, saying Russian forces had started using it at the end of summer 2026.

The ground-launched weapon carries a 100kg warhead, according to GUR. Russia claims a speed approaching 500 mph and a range of 745 miles.

That claimed speed exceeds the known maximum of 370 mph for the Geran-5, Russia’s most advanced jet-powered drone deployed so far.

GUR said Filin could operate at extremely low altitudes or climb to 3.7 miles. Its airframe uses carbon and fiberglass, with some parts manufactured through 3D printing.

Beskrestnov said weapons in this category also offered deployment advantages.

“They do not need drone ports, many of them can be launched from helicopters and UAVs. And most importantly, they can be produced from Russian components,” he wrote.

Russian Engine, Foreign Electronics

GUR identified a Russian-built engine in Filin, distinguishing it from the Chinese engines fitted to many Russian turbojet drones.

The same engine has appeared in the recently disclosed Kover and Monochrome air-launched missiles.

The agency nevertheless reported extensive foreign electronics inside Filin, including in its flight controller, inertial navigation system, equipment control unit and hardware designed to resist jamming.

Its inventory included 35 components from the U.S., 22 from China and another 13 from Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan and the Netherlands.

Commercial engines and components have helped Russia reduce the cost of its newer cruise missiles.

Pressure on Ukrainian Defenses

The Banderol, another Russian missile incorporating civilian technology, illustrates the pressure these weapons can place on Ukraine’s interception network.

First seen in spring 2025, Banderol has a shorter range and lower speed than Filin but can still reach 435 mph, complicating interception by drones.

Its estimated unit cost is $150,000, roughly one-sixteenth that of a conventional Kh-101 cruise missile. The supplied information gives no price for Filin.

Frequent Banderol attacks over the summer have intensified concerns that Russia will increase the volume of inexpensive missiles used against Ukrainian air defenses.

Sternenko questioned whether Ukraine’s air force command was preparing countermeasures ahead of wider deployment of the new weapons.