Inside a nondescript warehouse somewhere in Ukraine, engineers are putting the finishing touches on a weapon that could redefine the country’s fight against Russia: the Flamingo missile. On August 20, 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is moving toward mass production of this new long-range missile system, with the first waves set to roll out by the end of the year. The Flamingo, formally designated the FP-5, is a cruise missile boasting a range of 3,000 kilometers—enough to put Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other Russian heartland cities within striking distance for the first time since the full-scale invasion began.
"To December we will have more of them. And by the end of December or in January-February, mass production should begin. We must look at the success in testing, we must look at the financing of this program," Zelensky told reporters, according to Associated Press. He emphasized that operational details would remain under wraps until Ukraine had built up a significant stockpile, adding, "It is the most successful among all Ukrainian weapons that exist now."
For a country that has spent much of the past three years relying on Western-supplied weaponry, the Flamingo represents something of a turning point. As reported by AP photojournalist Efrem Lukatsky, who was granted rare access to the Fire Point manufacturing site on August 14, the missile has already undergone successful tests and is entering serial production. The Associated Press described a bustling warehouse where Ukrainian engineers proudly displayed the Flamingo alongside the company’s FP-1 explosive drones, which have a range of up to 1,600 kilometers.
Fire Point, the defense firm behind the missile, was founded by a group of friends at the start of the Russian invasion. Drawing expertise from a mix of industries, their aim was simple but ambitious: to create affordable, effective drones and missiles that could rival the Iranian-made Shahed UAVs Russia has used to devastating effect against Ukrainian cities. Their efforts have paid off. The Flamingo missile, with a payload capacity of up to 1,150 kilograms, is among the largest cruise missiles of its kind. According to Fire Point representatives, it can strike within 14 meters of its target—an impressive degree of accuracy for a weapon of its size.
The missile’s name, Flamingo, is a nod to its early prototypes, which were painted pink during test flights. But there’s nothing delicate about its capabilities. With a six-meter wingspan and a total weight of six tonnes (including a one-tonne warhead), the Flamingo is a “big beast,” as the Telegraph put it. The missile appears to be closely modeled on the FP-5 design, previously exhibited by Milanion, a UAE-headquartered defense contractor known for setting up local manufacturing in customer nations. While the technical specifications remain classified, the weapon’s range and payload are no longer in doubt.
Currently, Fire Point produces about one FP-5 Flamingo missile per day, but company management expects to ramp up to seven per day by October. The firm has already completed successful trials of the missile earlier this year, confirming its performance in both range and payload delivery. As the Associated Press reported, this rapid scaling is part of a broader push to give Ukraine the means to strike back at Russia, not just defend its own cities.
For context, Ukraine has been battered by near-daily barrages of long-range missiles since the start of the war. Until now, Kyiv’s only means of hitting back at Russian cities has been through long-range drones—capable, but limited by their relatively small warheads. The Flamingo changes that equation. “The missile has undergone successful tests. It is currently our most successful missile — it can fly 3,000 kilometres, which is significant,” Zelensky reiterated in comments released on August 21, as reported by the Eurasian Times. The missile’s range will finally allow Ukraine to target strategic sites deep within Russian territory, potentially shifting the balance of deterrence.
But there are challenges ahead. Russia has some of the world’s most advanced air defense systems, and experts suggest that Ukraine will likely need to launch multiple Flamingo missiles at once, possibly alongside decoys and drones, to overwhelm these defenses. As the Eurasian Times noted, “There is no clarity on when Ukraine will start using the missile in the field, and Russia's advanced air defense systems may require Ukraine to launch multiple missiles with decoys and drones to overcome defenses.” The real-world effectiveness of the Flamingo will only become clear once Ukraine deploys them in significant numbers.
Still, the missile’s very existence marks a significant leap forward for Ukraine’s defense industry. Three years ago, at the war’s outset, the country had neither long-range drones nor long-range missiles. Now, not only is the Flamingo entering mass production, but other homegrown weapons are coming online as well. Earlier in June, Ukrainian media reported that the short-range Sapsan ballistic missile had completed combat testing and entered serial production. This growing arsenal is part of what Zelensky calls a "central element in Ukraine’s long-term defense strategy." He has repeatedly stressed the importance of domestic production, especially as international support for air defense systems and artillery remains critical but not always guaranteed.
Fire Point’s journey from a startup founded in the chaos of invasion to a key player in Ukraine’s military resurgence is remarkable. Their FP-1 drones have already demonstrated extended-range capabilities, and the Flamingo missile is expected to provide a new strategic option once produced at scale. The company’s ethos—combining cost-effectiveness with high performance—has allowed them to rival, and in some cases surpass, technologies imported from abroad.
While the Ukrainian military has not publicly commented on the specifics of the Flamingo program, the sense of anticipation is palpable. The Associated Press described the mood at Fire Point’s facility as one of cautious optimism. Engineers and executives alike know that the road ahead is fraught with uncertainty, from the technical challenges of mass production to the ever-present threat of Russian retaliation. Yet, there’s also pride in what they’ve accomplished. The Flamingo may have started as a pink-painted prototype, but it now stands as a symbol of Ukrainian ingenuity and resilience.
The coming months will be crucial. As Zelensky has made clear, the program will remain confidential until a sufficient stockpile is built up. Only then will Ukraine reveal the full extent of its new capabilities. For now, the world watches as the country edges closer to a new phase in its ongoing struggle—a phase in which it can finally take the fight back to those who have long threatened its cities from afar.
As the dust settles on the latest round of tests and production ramps up, one thing is certain: Ukraine’s Flamingo missile is poised to become a game-changer, not just for the country’s defense, but for the broader balance of power in the region.
