"Long Neptune" has successfully passed all tests and combat use, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said. "It is a new Ukrainian missile, with a precision strike. Its range is a thousand kilometers. Many thanks to our Ukrainian designers, manufacturers and the military," he wrote on Telegram. Zelensky did not provide more detailed information about the missile and its targets.
Analysts, who compile publicly available information, and media outlets report that Ukraine used the missile to hit an oil refinery in the Russian city of Tuapse on the Black Sea coast, about 550 kilometers from the front line. According to regional Russian authorities, a fire broke out at the refinery over the weekend.
Experts interviewed by DW assume that an improved version of the Neptun R-360 anti-ship missile was used in the attack.
Ukraine is working on modifications to the Neptune rocket
The R-360 cruise missile, developed by the Luch design bureau in Kiev, has been in service with the Ukrainian military since 2020. Together with the RK-360MC system, it protects the coast by detecting and destroying enemy ships. The missile has a warhead weighing 150 kilograms and a range of up to 300 kilometers.
It was first used in April 2022 against the Russian frigate "Admiral Essen". Shortly thereafter, one of the most significant events in the Russian-Ukrainian war followed - two such anti-ship missiles sank the Russian cruiser "Moskva", whose value is estimated at around $750 million.
Ukrainian designers did not stop there – in 2023 they presented a new modification of the R-360, which, in addition to ships, can also hit land targets. As an anonymous representative of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense told the American portal The War Zone, this version has a range of 400 kilometers and can carry a warhead weighing 350 kilograms, which is 200 kilograms more than the anti-ship variant.
This missile has already been used in combat several times, including in September 2023 against the Russian S-400 air defense system and the Saki military airfield in occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian engineers, according to experts interviewed by DW, have now likely developed a new version of the Neptun missile system, which could have a range of up to a thousand kilometers.
Mass production is key
A military expert from the Kiev-based Razumkov think tank, Mykola Sunghurovsky, told DW that it now depends on whether the missile can be mass-produced, as this type of weapon only makes sense if used in large quantities.
"I hope that by combining the technological, production and financial resources of Ukraine and its Western partners, we will be able to increase production. But the question arises of the location of production facilities, because the entire territory of Ukraine is under constant attack," Sunghurovsky said.
Sergej Shurez of the Ukrainian consulting firm Defense Express also believes that mass production is key. According to him, Ukraine should produce 40 to 50 missiles per month, as much as Russia.
"We need to reach that pace," he stressed, adding that the Neptune rocket is backed by a team of experienced designers, unlike other projects. "For example, the Sapsan ballistic missile has been talked about for 15 to 20 years, but it still doesn't exist," said Šurez.
What targets can Ukraine hit with the Long Neptune?
Russia is responding to the range of Ukrainian weapons by moving potential targets deeper into its territory – including aircraft and certain production facilities, explains Mykola Sunghurovsky. “But you can’t move a refinery,” he points out. Thanks to the Long Neptune, many targets in Russia are now within Ukraine’s reach.
Until now, Ukraine has only been able to hit targets more than 300 kilometers away using drones. The Ukrainian Luti combat drone has a range of 1.500 kilometers, while the Ninja drone set a record when it hit the Salavat plant of chemical giant Gazprom Neftehim in Russia from a distance of XNUMX kilometers, according to Ukrainian media reports citing intelligence sources.
"Drone attacks will continue, but they can only carry a small amount of explosives - up to 50 kilograms. It cannot penetrate a fortified object, even with a simultaneous attack by several drones," explained Ukrainian Major in the Reserve Oleksiy Hetman, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, on the NV radio program. He believes that the Long Neptune can carry up to 300 kilograms of explosives, which would allow it to destroy buildings.
At a distance of more than 300 kilometers, there are a large number of Russian logistical facilities and, above all, industrial plants that would have to be destroyed in order to wage an exhausting war, says Sergey Shurez. "This is exactly what Russia is trying to do in Ukraine," he adds. The expert emphasizes that Ukraine, with the latest modification of the Neptun missile, can target refineries, command centers and ammunition depots in Russia, without having to wait for help from the United States or other countries.
Can Kiev give up Western missiles?
Before the advent of the "Long Neptune", the longest-range missiles supplied by the West to Kiev were the ATACMS and Storm Shadow (SCALP), which allowed Ukraine to strike targets in Russia. According to publicly available data, their range is up to 300 kilometers.
However, according to media reports, Ukraine's stock of US ATACMS ballistic missiles was exhausted as early as January 2025. There is currently no information on whether new deliveries will arrive from the US. Also, Kiev has only a small number of Storm Shadow missiles.
That's why experts are positive about the fact that Ukraine now has its own long-range missile. However, they believe that it cannot completely replace Western weapons. "Given the needs of the Ukrainian army for missiles, this is not about replacing Western missiles, but about supplementing them," explains Mykola Sunghurovsky.
Sergey Shurez points out that there is still a need for missiles that Kiev has not yet received, primarily the German Taurus cruise missiles. "Taurus can hit targets at a distance of up to 600 kilometers, and its warhead weighs 450 kilograms. Although its range is shorter than the 'Long Neptune', Taurus has a unique penetrating warhead, specially designed to destroy deeply dug bunkers. This missile is characterized by exceptional technological sophistication and is generally the most advanced missile of its type," Shurez emphasizes.
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