Ukraine’s Flamingo Cruise Missile Scores a Deep-Strike Hit on Russian Plant
Ukraine’s domestically built FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles delivered their strongest performance yet, with 3 of 5 missiles hitting and damaging the Barrikady Federal Research and Production Center in Volgograd, deep inside Russia. The strike, aided by nap-of-the-earth flight and improved targeting, marks a major leap after earlier misses; the 1,150-kg warhead, 3,000+ km range, and carbon-fiber construction keep production in view, with Kyiv signaling mass production could begin by February and reach 200+ missiles per month by the end of 2026. OSINT analysis suggests planners shifted to river-adjacent targets to exploit radar gaps. The attack follows a string of less successful Flamingo launches and underscores Ukraine’s advancing long-range strike capabilities.