Ukrainian investigators revealed that Russia conducted secret tests of its Shahed-type systems in foreign countries, using SIM cards from various international operators to improve navigation, communication, and air defense evasion capabilities.
The scheme involved employees from the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, responsible for assembling the Geran-2, the Russian version of the Shahed.
According to internal documents, a young employee, Timur Konovalov, was sent to Kazakhstan in 2024 to verify the operation of trackers installed on these systems, in an operation that reportedly was not coordinated with the local government. He traveled with specialized equipment and SIM cards from operators in more than ten European and Asian countries, expanding the scope of the tests.
Records obtained by Molfar show that the experimental launches took place between December 1 and 5, 2024, using Russian, European, and even tourist SIM cards. The operators tested match countries that had reported the presence of unidentified artifacts in recent years.
In March 2025, a Geran-2 bearing tail number Ы18358 was found in Kazakhstan, reinforcing suspicions about the expansion of these clandestine activities.
Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @Defence_Index | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
Russia is secretly collecting European SIM cards to plug into Shahed drones, making them more dangerous against Ukraine and Europe.
The list of countries where SIM cards were acquired closely matches where “unidentified drones” appeared in Fall 2025. https://t.co/zc3lEPugr1 pic.twitter.com/bfusnXIpum
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) December 11, 2025
