"This May Encourage Putin To Lay Down His Arms."
9- 28.08.2025, 13:30
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What is the Ukrainian Flamingo missile capable of?
Ukraine has unveiled a new Flamingo cruise missile with a claimed range of 3,000 kilometers, which has a powerful potential. If even half of the claimed performance is true, this weapon could inflict serious damage in any European part of Russia.
As The Economist writes, the process of putting the missile into mass production took only nine months, not years or even decades.
It is also fascinating that the project was led by a management team that, it is noted, had no previous experience in the defense industry.
"The appearance of this missile in the midst of difficult peace talks may encourage Vladimir Putin to lay down his arms," the article says.
How the Flamingo missile came to be
Representatives of Fire Point, the company behind Flamingo, say the missile was born as a sketch on a napkin in late 2024. At the time, Ukraine was in desperate need of a long-range deterrent.
In September of that year, Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold and then-secret request to Joe Biden for U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles as part of his Victory Plan. The Biden administration responded with a refusal.
"Few dared to believe that Ukraine's missile program could produce the necessary goods fast enough," the journalists wrote.
A spokesman for the company said that engineers were inspired by historical models such as the German FAU-1 and the Soviet Strizh, which, like the Flamingo, have an engine located above the main body.
The test prototypes of the missile were painted pink, hence the name Flamingo.
The missile production process takes place abroad. However, about 90% of the final assembly of the weapon takes place in Ukraine at secret facilities scattered throughout Ukraine.
The hull is made of fiberglass, making it harder to detect than metal. The engine appears to be a turbofan engine manufactured by the Motor Sich design bureau in the Zaporozhye region. Production, now at one missile per day, is promised to increase to seven by October.
The price per missile is "less than 1 million euros" ($1.2 million).
The missile is bulky and gains altitude steeply on launch, making it more visible to enemy radar, so it is expected that a significant portion of the missiles will be detected and intercepted.
Aviation expert Konstantin Krivolap is confident that the Flamingo will be able to exploit gaps in Russia's weakening air defenses.
"Ukraine is famous for its inventive combined attacks aimed at overcoming defenses. In time, Russia will suffer more serious losses," he said.
The final test of the missile should take place on the battlefield.
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