Ukraine’s Neptune Missiles Hit Drone Plant, Warehouse, Repair Center in Russia's Rostov

Ukraine’s Navy used a Neptune missile to strike three drone-related sites in Rostov-on-Don, a city in southern Russia, overnight on Nov. 13, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.In a Friday Facebook statement, the General Staff said the strikes hit the production site of Ionos LLC, which makes tactical-level strike drones, and a storage site belonging to the same company.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The third target was a service center of Aero-Hit LLC, where the Russian army repairs and maintains drones for the front line.The General Staff described Aero-Hit as a maker of Veles strike and reconnaissance first-person view (FPV) drones, with production in the Far East city of Khabarovsk and a service center in Rostov-on-Don near the Black Sea.Ukraine said the strikes aim to reduce the number of drones Russia launches at Ukrainian cities, positions and energy infrastructure. It also cited Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the right to self-defense, and said the Ukrainian military is working to undermine Russia’s military-economic potential.Rostov Region Governor Yuri Slyusar confirmed an overnight attack on Telegram but did not name the facilities hit.He said more than 120 drones were destroyed over Rostov-on-Don and 10 districts of the region, that one man was wounded, and that five apartment buildings were damaged in the city.Slyusar’s posts did not mention Ionos or Aero-Hit by name, and he did not say who owns the production building and warehouse that were damaged. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine reports a 100 mph Starshield cutoff that hampers drone interception; US senators demand answers as SpaceX denies changes. Neptune is a Ukrainian-made missile originally developed as a ground-launched anti-ship weapon with a range of about 300 km (186 miles). Ukraine used it in April 2022 to sink the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The missile has been upgraded in recent years, reportedly with a larger payload and longer range of up to 1,000 km (621 miles).In recent weeks, Ukraine’s military has reported using it against Russian military-industrial targets. On Oct. 29, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Navy missile forces used Neptune systems to destroy two Su-34 aircraft at Marinovka airfield in the Volgograd region.On Nov. 7, the General Staff said Neptune systems hit the Proton-Elektroteks plant in Oryol, which makes components for Russian cruise and ballistic missiles. The same report said Oryol’s governor acknowledged damage to production sites in the city without naming the plant.Rostov region has been a target before. In its October summary, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces struck the Kamensky chemical plant, which makes solid rocket fuel, and Roboavia, a developer and manufacturer of military drones, both in Rostov region.The ministry did not say which weapons were used. It said the strikes were meant to disrupt Russian production of missiles, drones and weapons components. Anastasiia Bzova is journalist covering politics, culture and current affairs. She focuses on delivering accurate, accessible reporting that helps readers understand the issues shaping their opinions.