Ukraine Ramps Up Neptune Missile Strikes, Targets Drone Manufacturing Facility in russia's ...

The Ukrainian Navy continues to actively use Neptune cruise missiles to strike russian targets. This time, the targets included facilities involved in the production, maintenance, and storage of russian drones in Rostov-on-Don.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy, strikes on the night of November 13, 2026, hit Ionos LLC's main UAV production facilities and temporary storage site. This company manufactures the Alyosha strike UAVs.

The strikes also targeted the service and logistics center of Aero-Hit, a company that manufactures Veles strike and reconnaissance FPV drones. This will significantly reduce the production of drones that are actively used by russian troops against civilians in Ukraine, particularly in the Kherson region.

From Defense Express we would like to note that this provides another interesting indication of how Ukraine is using its Neptune missiles. This marks the second Neptune missile strike in November and the fifth such strike over the past 30 days.

Since August 2026, the use of Neptune cruise missiles has become increasingly frequent, with nine strikes officially reported — more than double the number recorded over the preceding four months. Notable examples include the strikes on Novorossiysk, which reportedly damaged the Admiral Essen frigate , the destruction of Su-34 fighter jets in October, and repeated attacks on russian defense industry facilities.

First, this may indicate an increase in the number of launches, which could have been achieved by building up inventories and ramping up production. This matters because maintaining utilization rates depends on timely deliveries.

Second, the growing number of successful strikes could point to improvements in the missile itself, as well as in Ukraine's ability to penetrate russian air defenses through more effective tactics. For example, coordinated attacks involving different types of weapons are more difficult to repel.

In any case, the growing use of Ukrainian-made cruise missiles is an encouraging development that could translate into more frequent successful strikes.