Ukraine Begins Serial Production of Long-Range "Flamingo" Cruise Missile

Tone & Political Bias: Center

Why: The reporting is factual and based on official statements, media reports, and technical comparisons. It avoids speculation beyond sourced details.

Ukraine’s New Missile Project

Ukraine has started mass production of a new long-range cruise missile named the Flamingo, which is rumored to carry a 1,000-kg warhead and strike targets as far as 1,800 miles away inside Russia. Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who took office in July, announced the development on Monday but declined to give further details, saying more information would be released “when the right time comes.”

What We Know About the Flamingo

The missile was shown in photographs by Associated Press photographer Efrem Lukatsky, who said the images were taken at a Ukrainian defense company workshop.
Lukatsky’s post claimed the missile has a range of 3,000 km (1,800 miles).
Ukrainian outlet Mirror of the Week published videos of what it said were Flamingo test launches and reported that the missile is already being used in combat.
The outlet added that the missile can carry a maximum payload of 1,150 kg.

Possible Link to the FP-5

The Flamingo strongly resembles the FP-5, a cruise missile built by Milanion Group, a defense company based in Abu Dhabi that has cooperated with Ukraine since 2021.

At a defense expo in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, Milanion showcased the FP-5, which it said can fly for 1,800 miles, carry a 1,000-kg payload, and cruise at 559 mph for up to four hours.
The FP-5 is described as a gargantuan missile with a wingspan of 20 feet and a takeoff weight of 6.6 tons.
For comparison, the U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile weighs up to 1,600 kg with a 450-kg warhead, while Russia’s Kh-101 weighs roughly 2,400 kg with a longer range.

Milanion Group has not confirmed if the Flamingo and FP-5 are connected.

Why the Missile Matters

A cruise missile with a range of 1,800 miles would give Ukraine the ability to strike deep inside Russia, including industrial and military production hubs in the Ural Mountains, about 1,000 miles away.

Russia’s facilities producing tanks, artillery, drones, and vehicles could fall within range.
Ukraine has previously relied on smaller, slower drones to hit targets such as oil refineries near Moscow.
The Flamingo could dramatically expand Kyiv’s ability to carry out long-distance precision strikes.

Ukraine’s Record with Missile Development

Ukraine has already shown the capacity for developing missiles during wartime:

Its locally made Neptune anti-ship missile was credited with sinking the Moskva, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet flagship, in 2022.
The Flamingo suggests Ukraine is moving from improvised systems toward larger-scale, industrial missile production.

Key Details at a Glance

Name: Flamingo
Range: Up to 1,800 miles (3,000 km)
Warhead: 1,000–1,150 kg
Producer: Fire Point (Ukraine); resemblance to FP-5 by Milanion Group (UAE)
Takeoff Weight (FP-5 spec): 6.6 tons
Comparison: U.S. Tomahawk (450-kg warhead, 1,600 kg weight); Russia’s Kh-101 (3,400-mile range, 2,400 kg weight)

Ukraine’s disclosure signals a significant upgrade in its long-range strike abilities. While the exact link between the Flamingo and foreign designs remains unclear, the missile’s size and reported range mark a major step in Kyiv’s defense industry during its ongoing war with Russia.