Ukraine launches Flamingo missiles deep into Russia, hitting military plant and oil refineries
Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles hit a military factory in Cheboksary, over 900km from the front line, as Kyiv also targeted oil refineries and declared a new drone forces day.
Missile strikes Cheboksary military plant
Ukraine’s FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles struck the VNIIR-Progress factory in Cheboksary, capital of Russia’s Chuvash Republic, on the night of 9–10 June. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack, describing the plant as a supplier of components for Russian drones and missiles. The facility produces Kometa antennas that allow Russian munitions to bypass Ukrainian air defences. Chuvashia governor Oleg Nikolayev reported three injuries but did not specify which buildings were hit. Independent Russian outlet Astra identified the target as the Progress plant using videos posted by locals.
The Flamingo missile, carrying a warhead of up to 1,000 kg, has a range sufficient to cover the more than 900 km distance to Cheboksary – some sources cited a flight of over 1,000 km. It uses a combined guidance system with jam-resistant satellite navigation. Videos shared by Zelenskyy showed the missile flying unchallenged through Russian airspace.
Oil refineries across Russia targeted
Kyiv also struck a refinery in the Samara region. Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed that several industrial plants were damaged and three people were injured. Images published by Astra showed a large fire at the Samara refinery. Rosneft’s Kuibyshev refinery, part of the Samara hub, halted processing on 10 June after the drone attack, Reuters reported. The same hub has been under repeated assault: the Novokuibyshevsk refinery shut down on 18 April after a drone strike and has run at reduced throughput; the Syzran plant has been offline since 21 May.
- Novokuibyshevsk refinery shut down after drone attack
- Syzran refinery goes offline after drone attack
- Kuibyshev refinery halts processing after drone attack
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine’s SBU targeted two oil infrastructure facilities in the Vladimir region, approximately 700 km from the front line. Russian authorities also reported a fire near the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar, with a gas pipeline damaged.
New drone forces day and wider drone war
On 11 June, Zelenskyy inaugurated the annual “Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces,” hailing Ukraine’s drone branch as the world’s first dedicated armed forces unit of its kind.
For the first time in the world, such a branch of the military was created, in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences downed 326 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine’s Air Force said it shot down 181 of 207 Russian drones, with a barrage of 26 striking Kharkiv. In occupied Crimea, a Ukrainian drone hit the building housing the 19th-century Crimean War panorama in Sevastopol. Kremlin-appointed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said the painting by Franz Rubo was effectively destroyed.
