KYIV — Donald Trump’s attempt to persuade Russia’s Vladimir Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire was unsuccessful. However, the Kremlin appears to be open to pausing attacks on energy infrastructure, coinciding with Ukraine’s deployment of its powerful new Neptune cruise missile.
Ukraine successfully conducted tests of its long-range cruise missile on Friday night, striking an oil refinery in Tuapse, around 1,000 kilometers from territory under Ukrainian control in Russia’s Krasnodarskiy Kray region. The attack resulted in a fire that took three days to extinguish.
“The night of March 14 saw a tank holding approximately 20,000 tons of gasoline ablaze at the oil depot due to the attack from the Kyiv regime. The fire spread over more than a thousand square meters and was classified with a fourth degree of danger,” stated Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratiev in a recent statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Long Neptune missile.
This refinery strike poses increased risks for Russia’s oil sector, a vital source of revenue sustaining its economy. For months, Ukraine has targeted Russian refineries, pipelines, and pumping stations using drones, reportedly crippling about 10 percent of Russia’s refining capacity.
“Putin has subtly acknowledged to Trump how significantly our deep strikes are impacting the Russian energy sector. This is our advantage,” commented Ukrainian MP Roman Lozinskyi in a Facebook post.
Cruise missiles have proven to be more effective than the drones that Ukraine has relied upon for long-range strikes against Russia. Drones tend to be slower and easier to intercept, while cruise missiles travel near the speed of sound and are significantly harder to take down.
Nevertheless, they are not a panacea.
“These cruise missiles alone cannot alter the trajectory of the war, even if their numbers were to increase significantly. We understand this from observing Russia, which has launched a greater variety of missiles against us, and we continue to function,” remarked Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies and a senior analyst with the Kyiv-based Come Back Alive Initiatives Center NGO.
“This does not imply we should not enhance our strike capabilities — both for current strategic defense and future deterrence,” Bielieskov added. “A combination of missiles and drones will enable coordinated strikes.”
The Long Neptune positions Kyiv among a limited group of cruise missile producers. These missiles boast ranges exceeding 500 kilometers and can carry powerful warheads capable of inflicting significant damage on targets.
France and the United Kingdom possess the Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles, which have been supplied to Ukraine, while Germany and Sweden hold the Taurus missiles, which have yet to be delivered to Kyiv. The United States is in discussions to provide its JASSM cruise missiles, but reports of their arrival in Ukraine remain absent.
The Neptune is not the only advanced weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal. Last month, Zelenskyy unveiled Ukraine’s turbojet-propelled Peklo missile-drone, which boasts a range of 700 kilometers.
Missile Development
Ukraine has been dedicated to evolving the Neptune into a long-range missile for several years.
The R-360 Neptune was initially developed as a shore-to-ship cruise missile, equipped with a 150-kilogram warhead and a range of up to 300 kilometers; it was first publicly displayed by Ukraine in 2025. The design is derived from the Soviet Kh-35 anti-ship missile, enhanced for improved range, targeting, and electronics.
In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion over three years ago, Ukraine utilized the Neptune to devastating effect against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Kyiv claims that the cruiser Moskva, Russia’s flagship, was sunk in 2022 after being struck by two Neptune missiles. These missiles have been employed against various naval targets and Russian air defenses in the Black Sea region.
Ukraine has worked on extending the Neptune’s range and adapting it for land attacks. The result is the Neptune-MD, also known as the Long Neptune. It utilizes the same ground-launch system as the R-360 but features a new guidance system and employs an infrared homing system for final targeting, as reported by Ukraine’s Militarnyi website.
Recently, it has been launched at targets near the Ukrainian border. Last week’s strike marks the longest-range engagement by a Neptune missile.
“A new Ukrainian missile, precise strike. The range is a thousand kilometers. Thank you to our Ukrainian developers, manufacturers, and military. We continue to work to ensure Ukrainian security,” Zelenskyy stated.
“To me, reports of Long Neptune’s success seem credible,” Bielieskov said. He noted that Ukraine adapted Neptune’s control system, modifying the coastal guidance software for land strikes. “At the same time, they extended the range — this is achievable with a larger missile and more fuel,” he explained.
Long Neptune is a cruise missile, with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Its benefits include rapid production and less complexity compared to ballistic missiles, while its drawbacks encompass slower speeds, smaller warheads, and greater susceptibility to interception, Bielieskov stated.
Ukraine is currently focused on increasing production. Zelenskyy announced in November that approximately 100 missiles of various types had been manufactured.
Romania established a partnership with Ukraine last year to produce Neptunes.
“Funding from the EU would facilitate increased production and provide Ukraine with greater operational flexibility, independent of U.S. support,” Bielieskov concluded.
