Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · May 5
Ukraine hits Russian weapons plant with Flamingo missiles and drones
Updated
Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · May 5
Ukraine hits Russian weapons plant with Flamingo missiles and drones
11 articles · Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · May 5
In Chuvashia's Cheboksary, the strike killed two and injured more than 30, while Russian glide-bomb and drone attacks killed 10 in Zaporizhzhya and wounded 17 in Chernihiv.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the new homegrown cruise missiles targeted a plant supplying navigation components to Russia's military, nearly 1,200km from Ukraine's border.
The exchanges come before rival World War Two victory commemorations, as Moscow scales back its May 9 parade over drone threats and Kyiv rejects Vladimir Putin's proposed holiday ceasefire.
With its oil industry under constant attack, can Russia's economy sustain the long-term costs of the war?
How has Ukraine's homemade missile program managed to outsmart Russia's billion-dollar air defense systems?
Systematic Ukrainian Strikes in 2026: How the FP-5 Flamingo Crippled Russia’s Missile Production
Overview
In early 2026, Ukraine launched a focused campaign targeting Russia's military-industrial complex using the newly developed FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile. This missile, produced rapidly with refurbished Soviet engines, enabled precise strikes deep inside Russia, notably damaging the Votkinsk missile plant and disrupting ballistic missile production. Coordinated attacks on explosives facilities further strained Russia's supply chains. Ukraine's tactics combine Flamingo missiles with drone swarms to overwhelm Russian air defenses, which struggle due to the missile's low-altitude flight and advanced navigation. These strikes force Russia to divert resources to protect its rear areas, depleting expensive interceptors and weakening frontline defenses. Supported by international partnerships, Ukraine aims to sustain this pressure, shifting the war toward undermining Russia's ability to wage conflict.