Ukraine’s Long-Range Drone Passes 3,000 km Test

Ukraine has successfully tested a long-range drone capable of covering 3,000 km, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. In his evening address on Monday, March 17, he said:

“I held a Staff meeting. There were several key issues, but the most important one is drones. We need all types of drones. And there is good news—our drone has passed the 3,000 km test.”

He thanked the developers and manufacturers, emphasizing Ukraine’s efforts to expand its long-range weapons arsenal.

“We are developing a line of long-range weapons that will help guarantee the security of our state,” he said.

During the meeting, Zelensky was also briefed on the use of Ukrainian missiles, including the Long Neptune.

“We can say that we are satisfied with the results of the strikes. But we need to produce more missiles, more drones, and we will discuss this with our partners this week,” he said.

Zelensky added that Ukraine’s defense industry, supported by European investments, forms a solid foundation for a new security architecture in Europe.

“We need modern technology, sufficient defense spending, and investment in defense production. Most importantly, we need motivation—the drive to defend our home,” Zelensky said.

In late 2023, reports emerged that Ukrainian military technicians were developing an upgraded version of the Neptune missile—the weapon that sank Russia’s Black Sea flagship, Moskva.

Deputy Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Ivan Havrylyuk confirmed that military scientists had begun work on a new modification, dubbed “Long Neptune.” He told ArmyInform that the missile’s specifications and progress remain classified.

Kyiv Post sought further details from the Defense Ministry and Neptune manufacturer Ukroboronprom, but both declined to comment, citing state secrecy.

Havrylyuk’s statement was the first official confirmation of the Neptune upgrade, following an April 2023 leak to War Zone about efforts to adapt the missile for ground targets