Fire Point: how the Ukrainian manufacturer strikes targets deep inside Russia with FP-1, FP-2 and Flamingo

At the end of June 2026, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has lasted almost 1,600 days. Almost every day, Moscow attacks its neighbour with long-range missiles and drones. Ukraine has now proven once again that it, too, can strike painfully deep in the Russian hinterland: on 20 June, an FP-1 long-range drone from the Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point hit the JSC Antipinsky oil refinery in Tyumen – 2,400 kilometres from Ukraine.

Ukrainian drones have already targeted numerous Russian energy companies – what is remarkable this time is how far away the target was. For a distance of around 2,400 kilometres, the drone was probably in the air for twelve hours or more. The city of Tyumen lies about 350 kilometres east of the Urals, i.e. already in the Asian part of Russia.

Russia’s air forces have at least 1,200 combat jets and more than 1,400 helicopters – these, too, would be fast enough to intercept such drones. The total strength of the ground-based air defence of the army and air force is estimated at 90,000 to 130,000 personnel. Nevertheless, the vast territory it is supposed to protect overstretches it. And Fire Point’s systems, built from plywood and plastic laminate, are increasingly becoming one of the greatest threats to the Russian hinterland.

Fire Point: from a small team to a large-scale operation

The company was founded in mid-2022 by a group of engineers, architects and game designers. From November 2022, a team of around a dozen people worked on the FP-1 drone model. The FP-2 followed later – the response to units at the front asking for a medium-range drone with a range of around 200 kilometres. From 18 employees in 2023, the workforce grew to 2,200 by September 2025; the production area of 175,000 square metres is spread across several secret sites.

The manufacturer carries out its own research and development. Solid rocket propellant, engines, navigation systems, composite materials and other components are produced in-house. At the same time, the company has proven adept at using COTS components and building networks.

FP-1: long-range drone made of plywood

The FP-1 is one of several Ukrainian long-range drones designed for strikes deep in enemy territory. Until now, a range of 1,600 kilometres had been documented for the propeller-driven one-way attack drone with a plywood fuselage; its warhead weighs between 60 and 120 kilograms. This is precisely one of the secrets of the FP-1 and other Ukrainian long-range drones: they are easy to adapt. Depending on the mission, the entire carrying capacity can be used either for more fuel and thus more range, or for a heavier warhead and thus greater effect.

The latest development stage of the FP-1 is wing tanks. According to rumours, they increase the range to up to 2,700 kilometres – the attack on Tyumen suggests that this need not be an exaggeration.

President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on 21 June:

Yesterday we targeted their refinery in the Tyumen region. Two new Fire Point drones hit their target directly – 2,070 kilometres away. They already fly more than 2,500 kilometres and will in future be able to reach targets at a distance of more than 3,000 kilometres. These are new drones. We will go further, because we know where their military factories, oil depots, gas storage facilities and other strategic facilities are located. We need an instrument for even greater distances.— Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine

Over time, not only the range but also the navigation system has been continuously improved. As recent analyses by Russian experts show, a Pixhawk Cube Orange autopilot sits at the core of the equipment. Originally developed for civilian applications, the device normally costs from around 350 euros – but it is currently hard to obtain even at considerably higher prices.

In addition, there are high-quality four-element CRP antennas that filter out GPS jamming signals so that the actual satellite navigation signal can still be received. A radar altimeter and the Sinelink B5 navigation and communication module are also part of the system.

The FP-1 is powered by a two-cylinder piston engine and is launched with a jettisonable solid-fuel booster. The 330-kilogram drone flies at up to 205 km/h and can stay in the air for up to 18 hours. According to estimates, Fire Point drones now account for around 50 per cent of Ukrainian deep strikes against Russian industrial targets. Each drone costs about 48,000 euros. That is a lot of money – but for such sums, large Western defence companies will usually just show you the door.

FP-2: standardised for mass production

From the outside, the FP-2 is hardly distinguishable from the FP-1. This variant clearly aims for the greatest possible standardisation in order to exploit the advantages of mass production. The FP-2 very probably does without the wing tanks, which are more complex to manufacture. Its fuselage appears somewhat shorter, and its warhead tends to be heavier.

The most striking difference lies in the target categories. Refineries and key plants of the Russian defence industry deep in enemy territory are the FP-1’s domain. The FP-2, by contrast, engages air defence systems and their radars, command posts, logistics targets and ammunition depots in the rear area of the front. In mid-May, for example, FP-2 drones destroyed the headquarters of Russia’s domestic intelligence service FSB on the Arabat Spit (Crimea).

Recently, the Russian military blogger Rybar cited a 200-kilogram warhead and a range of up to 370 kilometres – the FP-2 is thus evidently being improved continuously. In recent months, operations in groups or swarms have also been noticeable. This is precisely what the Sinelink modem mentioned above is intended for. Using time of arrival (ToA), its signal allows a group of drones to navigate without GPS and at the same time turns each individual drone into a repeater. A single operator can thus control several drones in real time, even deep behind enemy positions. During the mission, flight routes can be adjusted and moving targets tracked and attacked.

FP-5 Flamingo: the pink cruise missile

Fire Point presented the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile in mid-2025. Its striking pink colour is said to go back to an incorrectly transmitted colour code for the prototype – if the story is not true, it is at least well invented. In any case, the pink cruise missile put the company at the centre of international attention at a stroke.

The FP-5 is powered by a turbofan engine. Until now it was assumed that an Ivchenko AI-25 is installed, as known from the Aero L-39 Albatros. In an interview with Sergiy Peichev, however, Denys Shtilierman said that the engines are currently the biggest bottleneck in the FP-5 programme. In addition, the manufacturer had to solve problems with importing components from Europe and the USA. More precise details of the propulsion are likely to become known only when Russian analysts examine wreckage and publish their findings.

The warhead is assumed to be a 925-kilogram Mk84 general-purpose bomb or its bunker-busting version BLU-109/B.

The stated range is up to 3,000 kilometres. According to Fire Point, three FP-5s currently leave production every day; this is to be increased to seven per day. Russian military bloggers do not express fundamental doubts about this. Russian observers estimate that, if these production figures are achieved, Ukraine is currently building up a stockpile of FP-5s for a large-scale mass attack. There would certainly be no shortage of strategically important targets.

In the interview with Sergiy Peichev, Shtilierman was not permitted to say anything about the number of operations so far. Open-source analysts have so far verified nine operations in which at least 39 Flamingo cruise missiles were launched; six of them reached their target. With growing operational experience, a rising hit rate is emerging, which Shtilierman also confirms.

Around 600 kilometres east of Moscow – some 1,000 kilometres deep inside Russian territory – lies Cheboksary. There, on 10 June, an FP-5 Flamingo hit the WNDIR Progress defence plant. Even specialists whose profession is military deep-strike operations are impressed.

The most successful operation so far took place on the morning of 27 June. The target was Titan-Barrikady in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), a manufacturer of missile carrier vehicles: of the presumably five cruise missiles launched, three struck the production halls of the defence plant directly.

Volgograd welcomes the seasonal migration of flamingos from Ukraine. To be continued… pic.twitter.com/n2tHkSySm0— Denys Shtilierman (@DenShtilierman) June 27, 2026

Next step: ballistic missiles

The FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles are in the middle of development at Fire Point. At the Eurosatory arms fair in Paris, real missiles rather than models were shown, albeit without navigation equipment and warheads. The company aims to be ready by the middle of the year to use ballistic missiles against targets as far as Moscow. A test of the motor and a flight test are still outstanding. If both succeed, Moscow is planned as the first target – that would be the next “red line”.

For Shtilierman, the FP-7 has already become economically obsolete as a short-range ballistic missile – its originally planned role. With FP-2 drones, targets 200 to 300 kilometres away can today be attacked at roughly a tenth of the cost, he says. The plan is therefore for the FP-7 to serve in future as the basis of a pan-European missile defence system.

Partners in Europe and the Gulf

The successes also have an economic impact. To expand its capabilities and gain more international reach, Fire Point has meanwhile concluded several strategic partnerships and joint ventures. Numerous major industry players now come and go at the company, which is only around four years old.

Under the title “Build with Ukraine”, six Ukrainian-German defence cooperation agreements were signed in Berlin on 14 April 2026; Fire Point is part of this larger package.

Particularly noteworthy is a technology cooperation agreement with the German air defence specialist Diehl Defence, aimed at joint technology development and know-how transfer.

In addition, Fire Point and Hensoldt signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the development of the pan-European missile defence system Freyja at Eurosatory in Paris in June 2026.

Hensoldt is to contribute in particular TRML-4D radar systems. Fire Point takes on the role of system integrator and develops and integrates the FP-7.x interceptor missiles. According to reports, there have also been talks with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Thales.

A further pillar is the Ukrainian-Danish mil-tech company Fire Point Rocket Technologies (FPRT), of which Fire Point is a part. It focuses on solid propellants and components for rocket motors.

From the United Arab Emirates, Edge Group expressed interest and offered around 662 million euros for a 30 per cent stake. So far, however, the approval of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine is still pending.

Production projects together with European governments are also planned; the talks concern long-range strike weapons and the Freyja missile defence system.

Observers consider it “quite realistic” that Diehl Defence and Fire Point will extend their cooperation agreement to include joint production in Germany.

The background is a decision by US President Donald Trump: he has withdrawn the stationing of American long-range systems in Germany. This was triggered by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had sharply criticised Trump and his Iran strategy during a discussion at a school in Marsberg in the Sauerland region.

Germany must now take care of its conventional deterrence capability itself, and Fire Point would be a possible partner. The Ukrainian manufacturer has impressively demonstrated how far into the Russian hinterland targets can be engaged with conventional means – no other Ukrainian weapon system has so far struck successfully so deep inside Russia.