President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on 14/11 that the Ukrainian military successfully struck targets on Russian territory with extended-range Neptune cruise missiles. He also released a video of the missile launch, but did not specify the exact time or location of the targets. This marks the first public video of Ukraine launching an extended-range Neptune missile.
The video shows a modified launcher vehicle with a different design from the original. The launch tube has been extended to accommodate a larger missile, and the spacing between the first and second axles, as well as between the third and fourth axles, is wider. Additionally, there is no longer a gap between the cabin and the command module, a feature present in earlier versions.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced the use of domestic weapons, including Neptune missiles and various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to strike the port city of Novorossiysk in Russia's Krasnodar region. The attack reportedly caused damage to critical port infrastructure, the Sheskharis oil depot, a launcher of the S-400 air defense system, and a missile storage facility. This resulted in secondary explosions and fires, with the extent of the damage currently under assessment.
The General Staff also claimed responsibility for strikes on an oil refinery and a fuel and lubricant depot in Russia's Saratov province, which reportedly caused explosions and fires.
Earlier, the Krasnodar regional operational command stated that a Ukrainian UAV attack targeting Novorossiysk port had damaged a docked vessel, ignited a fire at an oil depot, and caused damage to coastal infrastructure.
Videos posted on social media captured a large explosion and a tall plume of smoke rising into the night sky. According to geolocation data, the targeted site was the base of the 1537th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment in Novorossiysk.
DD Geopolitics, an account on social media platform X specializing in conflict documentation, suggested that Ukraine's long-range cruise missile attack might have struck an S-300 or S-400 missile operating unit. However, it remains unclear whether the explosion occurred at a combat position or within the unit's missile storage facility.
The Neptune cruise missile has been previously used by Ukraine to strike significant targets, most notably the sinking of the cruiser Moskva in 4/2022. The original version of the missile has a range of 300 km, while the extended-range variant is capable of hitting targets up to 1,000 km away.
By Pham Giang (According to Ukrainska Pravda, Reuters, War Zone)
