Inside Russia's Italmas drone: Deadly secret weapon revealed over Ukraine's Sumy

What is known about Italmas

The Russian Italmas drone (also known as Geran-3, Product 54, or "lawnmower") is a simplified version of the Shahed-136 strike drone. It is built on a flying wing design. It is also called a hybrid of the Shahed and Lancet drones.

It has the following tactical and technical characteristics (TTC):

• Flight range: up to 200 kilometers
• Speed: no more than 120–150 km/h
• Engine type: gasoline Chinese engine, similar to that used in Gerber drones
• Warhead: 15 to 25 kg of explosives
• Navigation: autonomous or operator-controlled. Data on artificial intelligence systems in drones is unconfirmed.

These specifications and combat use show that the Italmas is a typical Russian terror weapon. It is aimed at civilian targets.

It is not designed to hit military targets because of the small warhead size (compared to the Shahed). Its low speed also prevents it from pursuing mobile targets.

However, the drone has two key advantages for the Russians. First, it is simple to produce, cheap, and mass-produced. It is made from plywood, composite materials, or even foam plastic. It can be assembled anywhere, provided the required materials are available.

Second, despite its external similarity to its Iranian predecessor, Italmas flies much lower than Shahed drones. This makes it much harder to detect. According to some reports, it is also harder for air defense systems to target this drone. Its engine is mounted at the front.

Failure over Kyiv and terror in Sumy

Drones called Product 54 or Italmas first appeared over Ukraine in autumn 2023. On the night of October 22–23, 2023, Italmas attacked Kyiv. However, all drones were intercepted and destroyed by air defense.

In November 2023, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed that Russians were trying to use Italmas drones against Ukraine. The enemy viewed these drones as a cheaper alternative to the Shahed strike drones.

The drone's name comes from the shopping center where they began assembling the drones. Due to the drone's buzzing sound, Italmas also received the mocking nickname "lawnmower."

At that time, Italmas showed weak effectiveness compared to traditional Iranian Shahed drones. Therefore, the project stalled for a while.

However, the Russians now appear to be reviving it. At least three Italmas attacks hit Sumy in July — on the 14th, 20th, and 22nd. The attacks caused casualties and deaths.

How to protect yourself from the threat

Russians seem to be testing the drones by targeting civilians. The strikes are chaotic and hit exclusively civilian areas. Here are some important tips for protection during an attack:

• Do not ignore air raid alarms. Go to a shelter immediately.
• If a drone is nearby, quickly leave the area where it might fall.
• When caught in the open, drop to the ground before the drone hits. This reduces the chance of injury from debris.
• Take cover behind nearby objects such as trees, fences, or barriers. Avoid places with glass.
• If in a car during an attack, leave the vehicle and find shelter. Urban traffic conditions make it impossible to outrun the Italmas by driving fast.

Sources: statements from the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Wikipedia articles, and publications by Sumy outlets Kordon Media and Tsukr.