Philip Boyko18:41, 16.03.26

The Ukrainian Flamingo missile, due to its flight characteristics and hull, becomes a difficult target for the air defense of the Russian occupiers.

The Ukrainian cruise missile ” Flamingo ” has already proven its impressive effectiveness in destroying protected objects deep behind enemy lines. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have already successfully conducted three combat operations, during which the development confirmed its ability to penetrate the walls of workshops instead of simply hitting the territory of factories, such as the Votkinsky plant in Udmurtia. Denis Shtilerman, co-founder of the Fire Point company, which manufactures “Flamingo”, told Channel 24 about the technical features and unique tactics of using the weapon .

During the operation at the Votkinsky plant, which produced ballistic missiles “Iskander”, “Oreshnik” and others, Shtilerman noted the skill of the operators.

“We should thank the military for this, because for them it was a completely new missile. And they very quickly picked up the appropriate tactics of use. There have already been three combat uses, and all three were successful,” said Stillerman.

He also revealed the technical features of the weapon, thanks to which it is possible to accurately hit targets in the far rear of the occupiers. The thing is that the flight trajectory of the Flamingo is atypical. The missile flies at a gentle angle, rather than diving from above, so it is more difficult for Russian air defense to detect it and react quickly. But such a flight profile requires ideal intelligence data. Designers need to know the exact height of each building, says Stillerman:

“We attack from a shallow angle. And whether we hit or miss is always related to how accurately we know what the target’s altitude is and how reliable that data is.”

Another difference of the “Flamingo” is the unusual body of the missile. The co-founder of Fire Point, which manufactures it, stated that the body of the “Flamingo” is composite. This significantly reduces radar visibility.

According to Stillerman, engineers are working closely with the military to improve Flamingo. After each launch, specialists analyze the data and adjust the assembly processes and electronics settings so that Flamingo can defeat the invaders even better.

“For all our products, this is a constant feedback loop. Every day and after each use, there is a review of what happened, a review of errors,” concluded the Fire Point co-founder. 

What is known about the Flamingo strikes on Russia?

One of the last successful attacks using Flamingo was the strike on the Kremniy El plant in Bryansk . This plant supplied components for the combat control unit of the new Russian cruise missile Izdeliye-30, said expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky. The company also manufactured electronics for the occupiers’ missiles and aircraft.

Also, according to Forbes, Ukrainian “Flamingos” are becoming a real problem for Russia . The Armed Forces of Ukraine have switched from individual to coordinated launches of four to six missiles at once. The active use of “Flamingos” will directly affect the situation on the front, the publication believes.

And according to the director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, Mykhailo Samus, Ukraine needs to launch massive missile strikes  on any elements of ballistic missile production on Russian territory, when the world’s reserves of ballistic interceptor missiles are running low.

(C)UNIAN 2026