Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the successful development of a new ground-launched cruise missile with a striking range of 1,000 kilometers.
The advanced weapon is derived from the R-360 Neptune, an anti-ship missile originally designed by Kyiv-based defense company KB Luch.
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, Kyiv has been reliant on long-range missiles supplied by foreign military aid. However, the remodeled Neptune appears to be a weapon with capabilities similar to Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles and the U.S. ATACMS.
The Ukrainian munition has undergone rigorous combat testing and has demonstrated precision in hitting its designated targets, according to Zelenskyy.
“Thank you to our Ukrainian developers, manufacturers and military. We continue to work to guarantee Ukrainian security,” he said.
His announcement on Friday came just a day after Ukraine launched an attack on a Russian oil refinery in Tuapse.
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, Kyiv has been reliant on long-range missiles supplied by foreign military aid. However, the remodeled Neptune appears to be a weapon with capabilities similar to Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles and the U.S. ATACMS.
The Ukrainian munition has undergone rigorous combat testing and has demonstrated precision in hitting its designated targets, according to Zelenskyy.
“Thank you to our Ukrainian developers, manufacturers and military. We continue to work to guarantee Ukrainian security,” he said.
His announcement on Friday came just a day after Ukraine launched an attack on a Russian oil refinery in Tuapse.
Turns out the strike on the oil depot in Tuapse was carried out by Ukraine’s “Long Neptune”, a new cruise missile variant of the Neptune anti-ship missile, which can reportedly hit ground targets with a range of up to 1,000 km. https://t.co/uKZDvgeWAv pic.twitter.com/n3ZiZBaxwG
— VolgaLad (@cym27s) March 15, 2025
The timing of Zelenskyy’s statement is believed to be deliberate, according to the Defence Industry Europe website. While initial speculation pointed to long-range combat drones being used in the Tuapse attack, evidence now indicates that the newly developed cruise missile may have been the weapon deployed.
Sources suggest the missile was fired from an area near Odesa, traveling over the Black Sea to reach its target, Defence Industry Europe reported. Since Tuapse lies approximately 700–800 kilometers away, the refinery was comfortably within the missile’s range.
Additional proof supporting the missile theory comes from security camera footage of the strike. The distinct sound of an incoming projectile and the magnitude of the explosion are more consistent with a cruise missile impact than a drone attack.
The original Neptune missile, designed before the Russian-Ukrainian war, had a range of 400 kilometers. First showcased at Kyiv’s International Defence and Security Exhibition in 2015, it was later introduced into limited service in 2021.
The weapon gained global attention when Ukraine used it to sink the Russian warship Moskva in the Black Sea.
Subsequent modifications enabled the Neptune missile to strike land-based targets inside Russia. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence launched a modernization initiative in 2023 to enhance the missile for ground attack missions.
The newly improved version incorporates a reinforced warhead, an advanced flight control system and satellite-guided navigation. In its final attack phase, the missile utilizes infrared guidance technology to improve targeting precision.
Sources suggest the missile was fired from an area near Odesa, traveling over the Black Sea to reach its target, Defence Industry Europe reported. Since Tuapse lies approximately 700–800 kilometers away, the refinery was comfortably within the missile’s range.
Additional proof supporting the missile theory comes from security camera footage of the strike. The distinct sound of an incoming projectile and the magnitude of the explosion are more consistent with a cruise missile impact than a drone attack.
The original Neptune missile, designed before the Russian-Ukrainian war, had a range of 400 kilometers. First showcased at Kyiv’s International Defence and Security Exhibition in 2015, it was later introduced into limited service in 2021.
The weapon gained global attention when Ukraine used it to sink the Russian warship Moskva in the Black Sea.
Subsequent modifications enabled the Neptune missile to strike land-based targets inside Russia. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence launched a modernization initiative in 2023 to enhance the missile for ground attack missions.
The newly improved version incorporates a reinforced warhead, an advanced flight control system and satellite-guided navigation. In its final attack phase, the missile utilizes infrared guidance technology to improve targeting precision.
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