President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Wednesday that Ukrainian forces used domestically produced FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles to strike a military facility in Cheboksary, a city in Russia's Chuvashia region roughly 1,000 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. The plant supplies components for drones and missiles used by the Russian military.
“We continue to apply Ukrainian long-range sanctions against Russian military facilities and the oil industry,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, sharing a video that appears to show a missile streaking toward its target and smoke rising over Russian installations. “In particular, last night Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingos struck a military plant in Cheboksary that supplies the occupier’s army with components for drones and missiles.”
Oleg Nikolayev, the regional governor of Chuvashia, confirmed the attack on Telegram, stating, “Early this morning, Cheboksary came under rocket attack. We are working to determine the number of casualties and the extent of damage to infrastructure.” He provided no further details.
Target: VNIIR-Progress Plant
Local media and Ukraine's General Staff identified the target as the VNIIR-Progress plant, which produces satellite navigation receivers and Kometa antennas. These components are used in Shahed-type attack drones, Kalibr cruise missiles, Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and guided aerial bombs. The plant has been sanctioned by Ukraine, the United States, and the European Union.
The strike on Cheboksary was part of a broader Ukrainian operation that also hit the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russia's Samara region, more than 900 kilometres from the front line, and two oil infrastructure facilities in the Vladimir region, 700 kilometres away. The Kuibyshev refinery processes roughly 3.7 million tonnes of oil annually and supplies fuel to Russia's military-industrial sector and armed forces.
Zelenskyy has framed these long-range strikes as both a response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and a means to compel the Kremlin to enter direct negotiations. This dual strategy—military pressure combined with diplomatic overtures—has been a hallmark of Kyiv's approach in recent months.
The FP-5 Flamingo: A Ukrainian Missile with European Ambitions
The FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, first unveiled in August 2025, has a reported strike range of up to 3,000 kilometres and a warhead weight of up to 1,100 kilograms. Its use remains relatively rare, but Wednesday's operation marks a significant escalation in Ukraine's ability to strike deep inside Russian territory with its own weapons.
Fire Point, the Ukrainian company behind the Flamingo, has also been developing a ballistic missile variant, the FP7, which the company says will serve as the foundation for an air defence system. Denys Shtilierman, co-owner of Fire Point, stated a few weeks ago that the company is in talks with unnamed European partners to launch a new air defence system capable of intercepting supersonic ballistic missiles by the end of next year. The goal, he said, is to create a low-cost alternative to the US-made Patriot system, with a pan-European secure air and missile defence network as the ultimate objective.
Analysts note that the missile itself is only one component of such a system; the most complex parts are the ground radar network and the targeting system. Still, the development underscores Ukraine's growing defence industrial base and its potential to contribute to European security architecture. This comes at a time when the EU defence chief has warned that replacing US military assets could cost Europeans €500 billion.
The attack also highlights the intensifying campaign of long-range strikes. As Russian drone barrages continue to hit residential areas in Kharkiv, Ukraine is seeking to shift the battlefield calculus by taking the war to Russian soil. Zelenskyy's diplomatic push to force Russia into peace talks has been intensified in recent weeks, with the Cheboksary strike serving as a tangible demonstration of Kyiv's growing reach.
