Ukraine likely used Neptune missile in attack on Rostov refinery — Defence Express

Defense Express reported the information.

The Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in the Rostov region was successfully attacked by the Ukrainian Armed Forces overnight on December 19. According to Ukraine's General Staff, the attack was carried out using the assets of the Ukrainian Navy and the Security Service of Ukraine, in coordination with other components of the defense forces.

“The mention of the Navy’s involvement clearly indicates that the attack likely utilized the Neptune missile, which has long been capable of striking ground targets. This combination of drones and missiles enables multiple attack scenarios to be effectively executed,” the outlet noted.

Such scenarios include overwhelming Russian air defenses with drones to force them to expend their missiles, creating a pathway for subsequent attacks, and thinning out the Russian air defense system with missiles, as demonstrated by the successful use of Neptune near Novoshakhtinsk in August.

In any case, the result of the attack, which Russian troops were unable to repel, damaged critical parts of the facility, including its main component - the primary oil processing unit.

“This facility is formally located just 8 km from the Ukrainian border, but 160 km from the current front line. For the Russian military, this refinery holds significant importance in terms of supplying fuel and lubricants to its forces,” Defense Express emphasized.

This is not the first attack on this refinery. In fact, it was the first refinery successfully targeted by drones on June 22, 2022, using civilian Chinese Mugin-5 PRO drones. Following this, attacks on the facility intensified in 2024, and on June 6, the refinery was again effectively struck. Over the past six months, this is the fourth attack on the facility.

The analysts in Defense Express conclude that the only way to definitively halt operations at the oil refinery is through systematic strikes. After each attack, Russians quickly initiate repair works and attempt to restore production. However, this consumes valuable resources, and it appears that as soon as the Russians restart the refinery, they face another round of attacks - not only from drones but also from missiles.