Ukraine Unveils Neptune-D Missile Extending Strike Range 1,000 Kilometers

Ukraine has introduced the Neptune-D (RK-360L), an advanced cruise missile with a range of 1,000 kilometers and a 260-kilogram warhead, significantly enhancing Kyiv's capability to strike deep into Russian territory. This missile marks a major upgrade from previous Neptune versions, extending its role from coastal defense to precise land and maritime strikes, with advanced guidance systems enabling low-altitude, terrain-following flight to evade Russian air defenses. The Neptune-D's design features a larger and longer airframe with enhanced fuel capacity and mobility, housed in sealed launch tubes on trucks to improve survivability. Recently, Ukraine used Neptune missiles in a strike on the Elektrodetal plant in Russia's Bryansk region, a critical facility producing electronic components for Russian military equipment. Comparatively, the Neptune-D matches or exceeds the capabilities of Europe's MdCN cruise missile in range and warhead size, with advantages in cost, production speed, and land-based deployment. This development underscores Ukraine's growing domestic weapons design capabilities and its strategic shift toward more effective long-range precision strikes against Russian targets.