The days when Russian forces could shell Ukrainian cities with impunity from across the border are ending. Ukraine is now armed, authorised, and prepared to hit back.
Thanks to long-range weapons supplied by the West – including the US-made MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and the Franco-British Storm Shadow cruise missiles – Ukraine now possesses the capability to launch precise, devastating strikes against Russian military targets hundreds of miles behind the front line. These missiles, which cost around $1.5 million (£1.18 million) each, have been used to great effect, disrupting enemy airfields, depots, and command centres.
ATACMS, deployed from mobile launchers such as HIMARS, reach speeds of up to Mach 3 and distances of up to 190 miles. They are difficult to intercept and are configured with cluster or unitary warheads, capable of wiping out personnel, armour, or hardened infrastructure. Ukraine reportedly has around 40 ATACMS, and while more are expected, their limited number means every missile must count.
Meanwhile, the Storm Shadow missile – costing around $1 million (£785,000) apiece – complements the ATACMS. Fired from aircraft, it has a range of 155 miles and flies low to avoid radar. It uses advanced targeting tech and cameras for precise strikes and has already been used to destroy Russian naval command sites in occupied Crimea. Ukraine’s European allies, originally reluctant to allow strikes deep into Russia, have softened their stance, recognising the need for Ukraine to defend itself offensively.
But Ukraine is not only relying on foreign support. Its own defence industry has delivered a critical new capability: the Neptune missile. First designed as an anti-ship weapon, Neptune gained fame when it sank the Russian cruiser Moskva in 2022. Since then, it has been reconfigured for land attacks, proving highly effective in recent operations.
The crowning achievement of Ukraine’s missile development is the Long Neptune. Announced in early 2025 by President Zelenskyy, this extended-range cruise missile can travel 1,000 kilometres (621 miles), bringing critical Russian infrastructure like oil refineries within reach. In March, a Long Neptune struck a refinery in Tuapse, inflicting major damage.
Mykola Sunhurovskyi, from the Razumkov Centre, noted that Ukraine’s biggest challenge now is scaling production. Experts estimate that building 40 to 50 Long Neptunes monthly would be necessary to sustain pressure on Russian targets. Serhiy Zgurets of Defense Express agreed, noting Russia has already begun moving key military assets deeper into its territory in response.
But while vehicles and planes can be moved, refineries and bases cannot. Drones remain useful but lack the explosive power of missiles. As Ukrainian Major Oleksiy Hetman observed, drones cannot destroy fortified positions the way missiles can.
With these long-range weapons, Ukraine now holds the initiative to disrupt Russian logistics, destroy key installations, and push back against years of terror launched from across the border.
