Colonel Markus Reisner, head of the Officer Training Institute at the Theresian Military Academy, says that over the past three and a half years, the European defense industry has produced nothing comparable to Ukraine’s FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missile, UkrInform reports. 

FP-5 combined with FP-1 drones

Reisner emphasizes that for true effectiveness, the missile must be equipped with electronic countermeasure systems and decoys to bypass Russian air defense systems. Its maximum speed is 950 km/h, the cruising speed is 850–900 km/h, and the wingspan is 6 meters.

At the same time, it should be deployed alongside massive FP-1 drone strikes, which help penetrate Russian air defenses.

Ukraine plans to produce 3,000 FP-1 drones per month, roughly 100 units per day, matching Russia’s daily output of Geran-2 drones. Due to its lightweight, low-cost design, each FP-1 costs €50–60k, which is relatively cheap. 

“Flamingo” sends strategic signal to the Kremlin amid peace talks

According to Reisner, Ukraine is signaling its readiness to seize the initiative ahead of potential new rounds of negotiations.

“The message to Russia is clear: we will soon deliver massive strikes deep inside Russian territory,” the expert adds.

Ukraine’s new Flamingo cruise missile, developed by the defense technology company FirePoint, has been deployed in combat and used against targets in Russia, according to reports from ZN.ua. The domestically produced missile has a flight range exceeding 3,000 km and carries a 1,150 kg warhead.

Flamingo combat launches shown in exclusive video

ZN.ua reports that it received exclusive footage from FirePoint showing both test and combat launches of the Flamingo missile. 

The videos reveal the missile being launched in a training environment and then in actual battlefield conditions, targeting sites inside the Russian Federation.

According to ZN.ua, the missile has already been used in combat for some time, and the provided footage shows that it successfully struck designated targets on Russian territory. These claims are presented by the company through the video documentation given to the outlet.

Developed in secret forest-based workshops and now scaling up

The production and testing of the Flamingo missile reportedly took place in protected facilities located in the Carpathian forests. ZN.ua states that FirePoint conducted successful test launches several months ago. After those trials, the missile entered serial production. The company is now scaling up manufacturing and expanding production capacity.

During development, FirePoint focused on three main parameters: maximum range, large warhead capacity, and rapid deployment from compact platforms. ZN.ua reports that FirePoint says all three objectives were successfully achieved in the current version of the missile.

Key specs: over 3,000 km range and 1,150 kg warhead

Militarnyi reports that, according to FirePoint, the Flamingo has a flight range of over 3,000 km and carries a 1,150 kg warhead. A company representative told Ukrinform that the missile’s top speed reaches 950 km/h. The company also claims that the missile is protected against Russian electronic warfare systems.

The video shows that Flamingo uses a small solid-fuel booster for initial thrust and altitude gain, followed by a jet engine for sustained cruise. Launches are conducted from small mobile platforms, allowing for fast setup and increased operational flexibility.

FirePoint also produces FP-series long-range drones

FirePoint is also the manufacturer of the FP-series drones. According to Militarnyi, the company is now actively scaling the Flamingo project alongside its drone production. FP-1 drones have been used against targets in Russia since at least 2024.