Analysis: Discover how Ukraine's new Long Neptune missile will allow it to hit Russian targets once considered out of reach.

As reported by Militarnyi on August 25, 2025, Ukraine has formally acknowledged the existence of a new long-range variant of its domestically produced Neptune cruise missile, widely referred to as Long Neptune. The system was publicly shown in late August 2025 in material released by Zbroya, Ukraine’s state-run weapons platform, after months of speculation based on observed strikes and statements by officials.
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The Long Neptune missile extends Ukraine's attack range by enlarging the Neptune's fuselage and increasing both fuel volume and control surface area to support a reported 1,000-kilometer reach. (Picture source: Instagram/Zbroya)

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed earlier in March 2025 that the missile had completed testing and had already been used operationally, with targets reportedly hit at ranges exceeding 450 kilometers. Russian sources have also attributed explosions at an oil refinery in Tuapse and an energy facility in Bryansk to the new system. With an estimated strike range of 1,000 kilometers, Long Neptune represents a major extension of Ukraine’s domestic missile capability and has already been connected to combat operations against key Russian infrastructure.

The missile revealed in August shows significant dimensional differences compared to the original R-360 Neptune anti-ship cruise missile. Visual analysis indicates a length greater than six meters without its booster, approximately 1.5 meters longer than the R-360, and a fuselage diameter expanded from 380 to roughly 500 millimeters. These changes allow additional fuel capacity and potentially a larger warhead. The wings and stabilizing fins are also larger to support increased mass and longer endurance flight profiles. Although the precise warhead weight of the extended-range version has not been disclosed, analysts estimate it to be around 300–350 kilograms, in contrast to the 150-kilogram payload of the baseline Neptune. The missile’s guidance system is reported to combine inertial and satellite navigation for midcourse flight with a passive infrared imaging seeker or electro-optical sensor in the terminal phase, enabling accurate strikes on land-based infrastructure.

The development of Neptune began in response to the loss of much of Ukraine’s navy after the 2014 annexation of Crimea, when Ukraine initiated an indigenous program to provide coastal defense against amphibious operations. The Luch Design Bureau led the program, scaling up the Soviet Kh-35 baseline design with a longer airframe, greater fuel storage, and modernized electronics. The Motor Sich MS-400 turbofan was selected as the propulsion system, paired with a solid-fuel booster to achieve subsonic cruise at around Mach 0.8. Early testing occurred in 2016, and by 2018, guided flights had demonstrated ranges between 100 and 280 kilometers. The Neptune was adopted into service by 2020 in the RK-360MC coastal defense configuration, which includes USPU-360 truck-mounted launchers, reloading vehicles, a command post, and the Mineral-U target acquisition radar. The first battery entered service in 2021, and Ukraine had a limited stock available at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Neptune’s first combat use took place on 13 April 2022, when two missiles were launched against the guided-missile cruiser Moskva, flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The strike triggered fires and ammunition explosions that led to the vessel’s sinking. This event forced Russian naval assets to retreat further offshore, effectively limiting their ability to threaten amphibious operations against Ukraine’s southern coastline. Russian forces subsequently targeted Neptune production facilities, including strikes on the Vizar plant near Kyiv in April 2022, but despite these efforts, Ukraine retained operational batteries. In 2023, Ukraine modified the Neptune for land-attack roles by integrating GPS guidance with an infrared imaging terminal seeker, creating a variant with a reported 350–400 kilometer range and a warhead enlarged to approximately 300–350 kilograms. This configuration was employed in strikes against S-400 surface-to-air missile sites in Crimea in August and September 2023, confirmed by Ukrainian authorities.

The Long Neptune variant represents the next stage in this evolution, with its extended fuselage providing both range and payload improvements. Ukrainian reports indicate that the missile retains subsonic speed but can sustain flight for over an hour to reach targets at 1,000 kilometers. The larger airframe allows for both additional fuel storage and increased warhead capacity, though official specifications remain classified. Despite the size increase, the missile is compatible with the same RK-360MC launch system used for the original R-360, meaning that existing Ukrainian batteries can field the weapon without new infrastructure. Ukrainian sources note that modifications to the launch canisters or booster configuration may be necessary to accommodate the longer missile. In operational terms, this gives Ukraine a long-range strike system comparable in reach to Russia’s Kalibr cruise missile or the U.S. Tomahawk, but fielded on land-based mobile platforms.

By late 2024, evidence of Long Neptune’s use began to surface. Russian and Ukrainian sources reported strikes on oil depots and refineries deep inside Russia, including the Tuapse refinery in Krasnodar Krai in March 2025, which lies more than 450 kilometers from the nearest Ukrainian-controlled territory. Zelensky confirmed the missile’s employment, stating it had delivered precise long-distance strikes. Other reported uses include attacks on infrastructure in Bryansk and logistical nodes in occupied regions. Russian responses have included claims of intercepting Neptunes with air defenses and repeated statements from the Ministry of Defense about downed missiles. These reports demonstrate recognition of the system’s threat, even if interception claims cannot be independently verified. Russia has also targeted production facilities and sought to identify mobile launchers, while Ukraine has emphasized the mobility of Neptune batteries as a means of maintaining survivability.

Strategically, Neptune and Long Neptune have influenced both naval and land operations in the Black Sea region. The sinking of Moskva in 2022 demonstrated that Ukraine could deny Russia uncontested use of its fleet near Ukrainian shores. The adaptation of Neptune for land strikes and the emergence of Long Neptune provided Ukraine with a capability to target infrastructure at extended ranges, reducing dependence on Western-provided long-range weapons, which often carried usage restrictions. This shift has compelled Russia to allocate more air defense resources to rear areas and to adjust naval deployments. Comparative analysis places the R-360 Neptune in the same category as the U.S. Harpoon and the Russian Kh-35, while Long Neptune, with its 1,000-kilometer range, approaches the reach of Russia’s Kalibr. Both systems remain subsonic, slower than supersonic systems like the P-800 Oniks or BrahMos, but their low-altitude flight and upgraded seekers give them operational effectiveness.

The Neptune program illustrates how wartime necessity accelerated the development of advanced weapons within Ukraine’s defense sector. From its origins as a coastal anti-ship system, it has become a family of missiles capable of both maritime and deep strike missions. Long Neptune, by extending its reach to 1,000 kilometers, provides a strategic capability that Ukraine can employ independently of allied supply chains. Alongside other domestic systems such as the Flamingo cruise missile with a reported 3,000-kilometer range and the Palianytsia hybrid missile-drone, Neptune demonstrates that Ukraine has established a diverse long-range strike portfolio. Each successful strike attributed to Neptune or Long Neptune underlines its operational significance, while also reflecting the broader trajectory of Ukraine’s effort to rebuild and expand its missile production under conditions of active conflict.