President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on 5/5 that Ukrainian forces conducted Flamingo cruise missile launches as part of a long-range strike operation last night. He stated these strikes were a response to recent Russian attacks. The Ukrainian leader released a video showing the nighttime launches, identifying one target as a factory producing automation equipment and guidance components for the Russian navy, air force, missiles, and armored vehicles. "These are the systems Russia uses in the war against Ukraine", he said.
The Ukrainian military launched Flamingo missiles in a video released on 5/5. Video: X/ZelenskyyUa.
The Kyiv Independent reported the missiles flew over 1.500 km, hitting several sites, including a defense industrial facility in Cheboksary, the capital of Russia's Chuvashia republic. Videos on Russian social media showed a Flamingo missile striking the VNIIR-Progress defense factory area in Cheboksary. AMK Mapping, an X account specializing in open-source intelligence, stated that "Flamingo missiles and a series of UAVs hit the administrative building of VNIIR-Progress and potentially an adjacent production workshop, causing a fire. VNIIR-Progress specializes in producing highly jam-resistant kometa guidance modules for Russian missiles and UAVs". Oleg Nikolayev, head of the Chuvashia Republic, reported two people were killed and 32 injured following the Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle attack on Cheboksary.
The moment a Flamingo missile reportedly struck the VNIIR-Progress factory area and the subsequent fire at the facility in a video posted on 5/5. Video: X/visegrad24.
Manufacturer Fire Point detailed the Flamingo missile's capabilities: a range of 3.000 km, a maximum speed of 900 km/h, and a 1.150 kg warhead. It employs an inertial guidance system combined with satellite navigation, featuring anti-jamming capabilities. These specifications surpass many weapons in Ukraine's arsenal, including both domestically produced and Western-supplied armaments. Fire Point claimed the Flamingo's main advantage is its simple, inexpensive design, costing about half a million USD per missile, allowing for hundreds of monthly productions.
However, President Zelensky admitted in late 10/2025 that the Flamingo project faced numerous technical production issues and funding delays from partners. Oboronka, a defense industrial project by Ukrainian news outlet Mezha, announced on 28/4 the results of its combat performance analysis of the Flamingo missile. The analysis showed that Ukraine had launched at least 23 Flamingo missiles at Russia by that time, but only two hit their targets.
