What does Danilov’s video of the mysterious Ukrainian rocket launch mean and does it look like Neptune?
What characteristics of the domestic long-range missile can be revealed in this short video
NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov published a video of a long-range missile launched by Ukraine, hinting that such weapons could be used for further strikes on Russian military targets.
The place and time of the action are not disclosed. There are no details on whether it was a test launch to check the characteristics of the prototype product or a live missile launch against the Russian occupiers. Even the fact that the launch and video recording took place at night makes it difficult to identify this mysterious Ukrainian-made missile. However, if you watch the video again, you will notice some significant details.
The President of Ukraine’s missile program in action. The tests are successful, the application is effective.
“Sevastopol is waiting, Kamchatka is waiting, Kronstadt is waiting…”P. S. A quiet and singing Ukrainian night… pic.twitter.com/DzpK4IezCv
– Oleksiy Danilov (@OleksiyDanilov) August 31, 2023
To begin with, from this video we can see that we are seeing a missile that may have at least one structural element in common with the R-360 anti-ship missile of the Neptune complex – the presence of a launch booster that separates after the missile is fired.
In the frame, we can barely see that the launcher for this missile is somewhat similar to the launcher for the Neptune anti-ship missile, but at the same time it may have a slightly different chassis or be placed on a trailer, similar to the HCDS coastal missile system for the Harpoon Block II.
The very fact that this missile was launched at night may indicate both that a combined guidance system was used and that it was only an inertial one, so this question can be left open for now.
In general, by tangential indications, it seems that this missile still fits the description of a modified Neptune for striking ground targets. However, one should be careful with initial impressions, as additional information can turn the picture around.
