Aviation expert explains how Ukraine's Neptune became land-based missile

He said this on the air of the Espreso TV channel.

"One of the representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine unofficially confirmed that it was a Ukrainian cruise missile, converted from the Neptune complex, that hit the Russian S-400 Triumph air defense system near Cape Tarkhankut on August 23. He cited some unofficial data: the range of the Neptune missile was increased from 300 km to 400 km. The weight of the warhead was significantly increased from 150 to 350 kg," Romanenko explained.

According to the aviation expert, the Neptune cruise missile has become more compact.

"The guidance system has been radically changed. The launcher has not changed. It was announced that it remained containerized. Since the missile control system will be changed, there will be no need for a control radar. That is, the system itself will become more compact. It will be enough to throw the launcher itself and the missile will be able to perform an autonomous programmed flight. Programming will be done on the ground. More detailed information will be provided by our Ministry of Defense after several successful launches," Romanenko said.

• As a reminder, explosions were heard in the temporarily occupied Crimea on Wednesday, August 23. They hit a military facility on Cape Tarkhankut, which destroyed a Russian long- and medium-range S-400 Triumph air defense missile system.
• On April 13, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva, was also hit by Ukrainian missiles from the Neptune system. On the evening of April 14, it became known that the cruiser had sunk. On April 16, the Pentagon confirmed that Neptune missiles had hit the Russian warship Moskva before it sank.