Ukraine’s Flamingo Missile Faces Serious Problems After Russian Interceptions

President Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted that the majority of Ukrainian-made long-range Flamingo missiles were destroyed by Russian air defense systems, while insisting that their performance is gradually improving.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Yuriy Lapitskiy, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Missile launcher

"The hit percentage of Flamingo has improved. During the most recent use, five missiles were launched: one hit the target, four were intercepted by Russian air defense,” Zelensky said.

According to the Ukrainian leader, the success rate of the Flamingo missile is increasing month by month, although interceptions by Russian air defenses remain predominant.

What Is Known About the Flamingo Missile

The first publicly known image of the Flamingo missile appeared in August 2025. It was published by Associated Press photographer Efrem Lukatsky, who claimed at the time that the missile had already entered serial production.

Shortly afterward, Zelensky announced that Flamingo missiles would be mass-produced during the winter, describing them as the most successful missile currently available to Ukraine.

However, in late October, Zelensky acknowledged that a "technological problem” had been identified during production, without disclosing its exact nature. He also complained about delays in funding from Western partners.

The Economist estimated the cost of a Flamingo missile at approximately 500,000 dollars. According to the publication, the missile allegedly flies at an altitude of around 50 meters, has a range exceeding 3,000 kilometers, and carries significant destructive power.

At the same time, the magazine questioned the realism of the project, noting that the speed of development appeared unusually fast and conveniently aligned with the operational needs of the Ukrainian military.

Analysts also pointed out similarities between the Ukrainian Flamingo and British FP-5 missiles, which are capable of remaining airborne for more than four hours, reaching speeds of up to 950 kilometers per hour, and cruising at approximately 850-900 kilometers per hour.

According to reports, one Ukrainian defense industry enterprise even produced a special version of the Flamingo missile for strikes against Russia. This variant was reportedly painted pink and decorated with a cartoon bird.