Ukraine has begun production of a new cruise missile capable of carrying a 1,000 kg warhead with a range of 2,900 km, the country's defense minister said.
The weapon is called "Flamingo", Denis Shmygal confirmed.
The name and appearance of the missile were previously known after photos from the factory of the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point appeared in the media. Shots were also published from the gun, which is claimed to be in real conditions - hitting a target in Russia.
As Business Insider notes, "Flamingo" It is notably similar to the FP-5, manufactured by Milanion Grower, a defense company headquartered in Abu Dhabi that has been working with Ukraine since January 2021. The company demonstrated the FP-5 in February at a defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, where it was revealed that the missile is equipped with anti-jamming technology and has satellite navigation.
The 2,900-kilometer stretch would allow Ukraine to penetrate deeper into Russia, potentially targeting military facilities and factories. The imminent introduction of a new missile with such destructive power and range means that it could threaten Russian centers for the production of armored vehicles, drones and artillery systems in the Ural Mountains, located about 1,600 kilometers from Ukraine.
So far, Kiev has relied mainly on significantly slower Kamikaze drones for strikes on Russian oil refineries and manufacturing plants in the Moscow region and beyond.
In this case, we are talking about many times more explosive and a strike with much greater force compared to drones, so that even a direct hit from a "Flamingo" can dismantle a refinery or a factory.
Ukraine has already proven that it can produce cruise missiles in wartime. Its anti-ship missile "Heptyn" was used to sink the "Moscow" early in the war. - the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
According to Western experts, Ukraine is developing a modern ballistic missile.