Ukraine’s Upgraded Neptune Missile Now Strikes 1,000 km—Built in Record Time

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that the domestically produced Neptune cruise missile can now hit targets up to 1,000 km away. The missile has already been used in combat, though details remain classified due to the sensitivity of the project.

Still, publicly available information from Ukraine’s Armed Forces sheds light on the rapid evolution of the Neptune missile.

Neptune: Ukraine’s anti-ship missile  

The Neptune missile is a longstanding Ukrainian project that dates back to 2010. Its development accelerated after Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the onset of armed aggression against Ukraine. The missile was officially adopted into service in 2020.  

Neptune first proved its combat effectiveness in spring 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its defining moment—one that justified a decade of investment—was the sinking of the Moskva, the $750 million flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.  

At the time, the Neptune had these specifications:

• Range: Up to 280 km  

• Speed: Subsonic (900 km/h)  

• Warhead: 150 kg  

• Total weight: 870 kg  

The “Long Neptune"  

After the Neptune missile demonstrated its battlefield effectiveness, Ukraine began discussing the need for a longer-range version. At the time, Kyiv had not yet received access to Western long-range missiles from its partners, making the development of its own extended-range weapons a top priority.  

It also became evident that although Neptune was originally designed as an anti-ship missile, it could also be used against land-based targets. This led to the creation of an enhanced version, unofficially named the "Long Neptune."  

The upgraded missile featured:  

• Increased range: At least 400 km, meaning the missile can now fly 30% further.

• Improved navigation systems: The missile flew to the Kavkaz terminal at least part of the distance over land, along a complex trajectory that required an advanced guidance system.

• Increased warhead weight: According to unconfirmed information, the warhead weight could have been increased to 350 kg.

Neptune’s 1,000-km evolution  

During the development of the enhanced Neptune, President Zelenskyy hinted that Ukraine was working on a missile capable of striking Russian military targets at a distance of 1,000 km. This objective was driven by two key strategic reasons:  

1. Deterrence and response: Ukraine needed a weapon capable of responding symmetrically to Russian missile strikes. A missile with this range would allow Ukraine to target military airfields, ammunition depots, troop concentrations, logistics hubs, and other key military sites.  

2. Reducing reliance on foreign aid: Long-range weaponry would lessen Ukraine’s dependence on Western-supplied missiles, enabling Kyiv and its military command to select targets without restrictions imposed by international partners. For instance, Russian forces have long launched attacks on Kharkiv from its Belgorod region, but restrictions on using foreign-supplied weapons against military targets on Russian territory have limited Ukraine’s ability to neutralize the S-300 and S-400 missile systems used in these strikes.  

No specific details have currently been released about the 1,000-km-range Neptune missile—all information remains classified. However, the very existence of such a missile is significant. Few nations in the world have developed precision-strike weapons capable of such long-range engagement. Even the missiles provided to Ukraine by its partners, or those expected in the future, generally have a shorter operational range. The US, which possesses missiles capable of striking targets at 1,000 km or more, has not supplied such weaponry to Ukraine.  

For Ukraine, the 1,000-km Neptune is more than just an upgrade—it’s a game-changer for long-range strike capability. The next step? Mass production.

Ukraine has already shown it can rapidly scale up effective weapon systems, especially with its long-range drones. Now, its expanding missile arsenal is proving just as formidable. With increasing frequency, Ukraine has been conducting long-range missile strikes targeting military objects deep inside Russian territory—an indication that Ukraine’s capabilities continue to grow.