Ukrainian defense specialists have strongly refuted recent claims published by The Economist regarding alleged upgrades to Russian Shahed-type drones, calling the report inaccurate and misleading.
In a public statement, Serhiy Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian electronic warfare and radio technology expert known by the callsign Serhiy Flash, criticized the article’s core assertions.
“It is very unfortunate that such a respected outlet publishes incorrect information,” he wrote.
The article in question described supposed technological advancements to Shahed drones, which are supplied by Iran and assembled locally in Russia, including real-time video transmission, AI-based guidance, and flight control via Telegram-based interfaces.
Beskrestnov dismissed these claims, stating:
Shahed drones are not guided by video during flight or via Ukrainian mobile networks.
There is no artificial intelligence embedded in the drones’ operational systems.
Their navigation remains based on satellite signals, which remain susceptible to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) interference.
These views were echoed by the Ukrainian military-affiliated Telegram channel “Polkovnyk HSh”, which responded sharply to the publication.
“No one controls Shaheds through Telegram,” the post said. “What is sent via Telegram after the strike are basic flight parameters — coordinates, altitude, speed — used only to assess mission effectiveness.”
The post added, “This is what happens when respected publications speak with unqualified ‘experts.’”
In parallel, Defence Blog spoke with analysts at Ukraine’s Center for the Study of Captured and Advanced Weaponry, who also confirmed that Shahed-type drones — including Geran-2 variants — do not operate under real-time remote control. Instead, they are pre-programmed with satellite-based guidance and may include simple post-strike telemetry systems designed to map Ukrainian air defense activity for future route adjustments.
Experts note that while Russia continues to adapt Shahed drones for mass strikes, there is no verified evidence of AI-enabled autonomy or real-time control via social media.