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Updated 19 December 2025 - Reporting from a concealed facility in Ukraine
Ukraine boosts domestic arms output under secrecy
Ukraine is accelerating production of its Flamingo cruise missile in hidden factories, a critical move to sustain its war effort as Russian airstrikes target defense infrastructure. Journalists granted rare access to one such facility were required to disable phones and avoid filming structural details or workers' faces, underscoring the operation's secrecy.
Factories under fire
Two plants operated by Fire Point, the manufacturer behind the Flamingo, have already been hit by Russian strikes. Despite the risks, Ukraine now produces over half of its frontline weapons domestically, a sharp rise from its early reliance on Soviet-era stockpiles and Western aid. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the shift, noting that nearly all long-range weapons in Ukraine's arsenal are now locally made.
The Flamingo: Ukraine's long-range answer
The Flamingo cruise missile, resembling a World War II-era V1 rocket, features a jet engine mounted atop a fuselage the length of a London bus. Painted black-unlike earlier pink prototypes-it's designed to disrupt Russia's oil supply, according to Fire Point's chief technical officer, Iryna Terekh. With a reported range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles), it rivals the U.S. Tomahawk but remains a domestically developed alternative to Western reluctance to supply deep-strike weapons.
While Fire Point declined to specify combat targets, the missile aligns with Ukraine's strategy of degrading Russia's war economy. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, head of Ukraine's Armed Forces, stated that long-range strikes have cost Russia over $21.5 billion this year.
Drones and missiles: A dual approach
Ukraine's focus on unmanned systems has positioned it as a global leader in drone innovation. Fire Point alone produces 200 drones daily, including the FP1 and FP2 models, which account for 60% of Ukraine's long-range strikes. Each drone costs roughly $50,000-one-third the price of a Russian Shahed drone-though Russia's monthly output of nearly 3,000 Shaheds dwarfs Ukraine's capacity.
Ruslan, an officer in Ukraine's Special Operations Forces, described the strategy: "We aim to reduce the enemy's military and economic potential." He noted that while Russia launches about 200 Shahed drones daily, Ukraine's response is growing rapidly, despite limitations.
Self-sufficiency amid uncertain allies
Fire Point's co-founder, Denys Shtilerman, dismissed the idea of a "wonder weapon," emphasizing instead Ukraine's determination. "The game changer is our will to win," he said. The company avoids components from China and the U.S., fearing supply chain disruptions. Terekh explained the decision: "We're on an emotional roller coaster with the U.S. Tomorrow, someone might shut it down, and we'd be unable to use our own weapons."
U.S. military aid to Ukraine, which totaled nearly $70 billion under President Biden, halted under President Trump. Europe has struggled to fill the gap, leaving Ukraine to prioritize domestic production as a hedge against unreliable foreign support. Terekh framed the shift as a matter of security: "Making our own weapons is the only real guarantee."
Lessons for Europe
Terekh, a former architecture student, urged Europe to heed Ukraine's experience. "We're a bloody example of what it means to be prepared for war," she said. "If any other country faced what we have, they'd already be conquered."
"We are trying to fight with brains and tactics,"
Iryna Terekh, Fire Point CTO
