Ukraine to mass produce long-range Flamingo missile in winter, Zelensky says
Ukraine is planning to begin mass production of its domestically developed long-range Flamingo cruise missile this winter, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting with journalists on Aug. 20.
Having its own long-range missile capabilities could be a game changer for Ukraine in its efforts to undermine Russia's war machine deep behind enemy lines.
Zelensky said that Flamingo had undergone successful tests, describing it as "the most successful" missile Ukraine currently has. The Flamingo missile is capable of flying up to 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles), he claimed.
"By December, we’ll have more of them. And by the end of December or in January–February, mass production should begin," the president said.
The Ukrainian company Fire Point is leading the development of the Flamingo missile. Iryna Terekh, the company’s head of production, told AP in a report published on Aug. 21 that it is currently manufacturing one Flamingo per day, with plans to scale up to seven per day by October.
The Flamingo missile was first publicly revealed on Aug. 17, when Associated Press (AP) photojournalist Efrem Lukatsky published a photo of it.
Domestically produced long-range weapons are of key importance to Ukraine's defense strategy, as Western partners have been slow in delivering adequate weaponry amid increasing Russian attacks and offensives. Some long-range weapons have also been provided to Ukraine under limitations on their usage on Russian territory.
In November 2024, Zelensky announced that Ukraine had produced its first 100 missiles.
Since then, Ukraine has continued to increase domestic weapons production. Zelensky said on April 16 that over 40% of the weapons used on the front line are now produced in Ukraine, including over 95% of drones used on the battlefield.
In June, Ukrainian media reported that the homegrown short-range Sapsan ballistic missile had successfully completed combat testing and is in the process of serial production.
Zelensky also previously revealed that Ukraine had developed another domestic weapon, the hybrid Palianytsia missile-drone.
