Flamingo, Ukraine's 3,000km-range game changer missile which can hit deep inside Russia enters production as Zelensky prepares to meet Trump

Economic Times

2 hours ago

Synopsis
Ukraine unveiled its new long-range cruise missile, the Flamingo. This happened after talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The missile has a range of 3,000km. It can strike targets deep inside adversary territory. The Flamingo is similar to the Milanion Group's FP-5. This shows international cooperation in defense technology. The missile is already in mass production.
AP Ukrainian-made long-range drones are seen at one of the country's leading Fire Point defence company in an undisclosed location in Ukraine, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) In a development timed closely with international political events, Ukraine quietly released the first images of its new long-range cruise missile, the "Flamingo," right after high-profile talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump and just ahead of a planned meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump. This carefully timed unveiling could be interpreted as a strategic message in the diplomatic theater surrounding the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict.On August 14, 2025, Ukrainian photographer Efrem Lukatsky, working with the Associated Press, captured and published the first documented images of the missile. The photographs were taken inside a facility belonging to the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, reportedly at an undisclosed location within Ukraine. Lukatsky states that this missile has already entered serial (mass) production, marking a notable step forward in Ukraine's domestic missile development efforts.
While Ukrainian authorities have not released official technical details, reliable reporting and visual analysis indicate that the Flamingo missile is designed for strategic strikes at ranges of up to 3,000km. These features were cross-referenced and appear to align closely with the FP-5 cruise missile earlier showcased by the UK-based Milanion Group at the IDEX-2025 defense exhibition. Analysts draw parallels based on both appearance and reported capabilities.The FP-5 features a 1,000-kilogram warhead, a maximum range of 3,000 kilometers, and a launch weight of around six tons. It has a six-meter wingspan, can reach speeds up to 900 kilometers per hour, and uses a sophisticated combined guidance system, including satellite navigation resistant to electronic warfare. Experts believe the Flamingo may have similar parameters, though formal confirmation from Ukrainian sources is still pending.
Strategic context
Ukraine has invested heavily in missile technology amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia. Previous successes included the Neptune anti-ship missile—in service since 2020 and credited with the sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva in April 2022—and the Grim-2 (Hrim-2) tactical ballistic missile with a 500km range. The Flamingo, with its 3,000km strike capability, stands to dramatically enhance Ukraine's ability to target assets deep inside adversary territory, including the entirety of western Russia and beyond.
The Flamingo's emergence demonstrates not only Ukraine's ability to innovate domestically under wartime conditions, but also the indirect impact of Western technology transfer and industrial collaboration. The similarity to Milanion Group's FP-5 underscores international cooperation, even when states such as Germany and others decline to directly supply long-range missiles.