UKRAINE has fired a groundbreaking new long-range missile dubbed “Flamingo” for the first time which can strike Moscow.
The innovative weapon can strike targets over 3,000km away, carrying a formidable 1,000kg warhead, and its design is inspired by a British bomb.
Extraordinary footage showed the warhead being shot from a ramp before launching into the sky at breakneck pace.
The cruise missile, which is reportedly already in serial production, fires from a twin-axle ramp before propelling itself with a turbofan.
The “Flamingo” has a six-metre wingspan and reaches speeds of up to 900km/h before decimating its targets.
And its maximum flight time is a whopping four hours.
Engineers designed the bomb to feature three main priorities: range, warhead mass and rapid deployment.
Its developer, Fire Point, said the systems are being manufactured at a highly protected facility in the Carpathians, in the west of Ukraine.
The breath-taking design also features a dorsal air intake for a jet engine and an X-tail.
To make sure the missile hits its target, it is also equipped with resistance to electronic warfare.
The “Flamingo” is reportedly closely modelled on the FP-5 missile design – an unmanned cruise missile which can hit targets at subsonic speeds.
The FP-5 is made by British weapons firm Milanion, a UAE-headquartered defence contractor which has supplied Ukraine in the past.
The new Ukrainian missile will dramatically boost the county’s long-range strike capabilities to face down Putin’s bloodthirsty regime.
And it would be a gamechanger in defending against the invasion which started over three years ago.
The “Flamingo” missile would also enhance Ukraine‘s advanced aerial capabilities, which include long-range drones and other long-distance missiles.
It would also be able to deliver a more powerful blow against any fortified or high-value targets such as oil refineries or air bases.
Ukraine has slowly but surely built up its missile program over the last few years to help defend against Putin’s invasion.
In April 2022, near the outbreak of the war, the “Neptune” anti-ship missile was fired to sink the Russian Moskva cruiser.
This development occurs as Putin persists in his aggressive attacks on Ukraine, while European allies collaborate with Donald Trump to arrange security assurances for the conflict-ridden nation.
The Don met with the likes of Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni and other European leaders at the White House on Monday.
The US President phoned Vladimir Putin during the summit to push him to meet with Zelensky face-to-face.
It remains unclear where the two will meet, but the bilateral summit is set to be followed by a trilateral one involving Trump.
Switzerland may host the summit between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders in Geneva, and the country has assured it would not arrest the wanted war criminal Putin if he attends for peace discussions.
The Zelensky-Putin meeting could occur “within two weeks,” according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was also part of the talks on Monday, stated following the summit.
Trump has also ruled out the prospect of US troops on the ground as a security guarantee for Ukraine.
But the White House did not rule out the prospect of supportive American support by sea or air.
The U.S. president also acknowledged that Putin might have no interest in reaching a deal, but cautioned that he would face a “difficult situation” if he doesn’t engage in negotiations.
European leaders floated the idea of Nato Article 5-like guarantees for Ukraine, but it is unclear what they would look like as part of any peace deal.
Article 5 of Nato states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, obliging allies to come to each other’s defence.
