Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 17, 2025
3 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleUkraine has developed new long-range weapons like the Neptune and Flamingo missiles, enhancing its military capabilities since the 2022 invasion.
By Tom Balmforth
LONDON (Reuters) -Ukraine struck Russia's port of Novorossiysk last week, forcing it to suspend oil exports. The Neptune missile it used is one of several long-range weapons Ukraine has developed since the 2022 invasion.
Here is an overview of some of these new Ukrainian armaments based on statements from Kyiv.
LONG NEPTUNE
Ukraine says its domestically produced "Long Neptune" is a ground-launched land-attack cruise missile with a range of up to 1,000 km (621 miles). It was developed from the shorter-range Neptune anti-ship missile that existed before the invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced its increased range in March. The military said on Friday it had been used to hit Novorossiysk, Russia's largest Black Sea export hub. Ukraine says it is producing more of the missiles.
FLAMINGO
The Flamingo, also known as the FP-5, is a new ground-launched land-attack cruise missile that Zelenskiy says has a range of 3,000 km (1,864 miles). He has talked it up as Ukraine's most successful missile and said it should enter mass production by year-end. It is made by Fire Point, a private Ukrainian defence company.
Zelenskiy said in October that the Flamingo had been used on Russian targets but did not elaborate.
LYUTYI
The long-range propeller-powered Lyutyi one-way attack drone has been a workhorse of Ukraine's deep strikes on energy infrastructure in Russia this year. The drone, produced by aircraft manufacturer Antonov, can fly more than 1,000 km.
FP-1
The FP-1 long-range one-way attack drone made by Fire Point has also been widely used to conduct deep strikes on targets in Russia and also has a range of more than 1,000 km.
PALIANYTSIA
The first combat use of the Palianytsia "drone missile" was announced by Zelenskiy in August 2024. The president said in October that the weapon, which is named after a type of Ukrainian bread, had hit Russian ammunition depots in dozens of cases.
Ukraine's Militarnyi defence news outlet said it has a range of 650 km (404 miles) and a turbojet engine that allows it to fly at 900 km per hour, much faster than a normal drone.
RUTA
The Ruta is another "drone missile" that Zelenskiy has said he expects to enter mass production by year-end. He said in October it had been used for the first time to strike a maritime platform at a range of more than 250 km (155 miles).
PEKLO
The Peklo, Ukrainian for "hell", is another "drone missile". Zelenskiy said in December 2024 that a first batch of the weapons had been supplied to the Ukrainian military. Ukraine's Defence Express outlet estimates the range at around 700 km (435 miles).
BARS
The Bars, Ukrainian for "leopard", is a newer drone missile whose existence was revealed in April 2025. The Ukrainian military said last week that it was used by Ukraine to attack Russian targets.
(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; editing by Gareth Jones)
A missile is a weapon designed to be launched and guided towards a target, often equipped with explosive warheads.
A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be remotely controlled or fly autonomously, often used for surveillance or military purposes.
A cruise missile is a guided missile that flies at a consistent altitude and speed, designed to deliver a payload to a predetermined target.
The range of a missile refers to the maximum distance it can travel from its launch point to its target.
Military technology encompasses the tools, equipment, and systems used by armed forces to enhance their capabilities and effectiveness in combat.
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