Satellite Imagery and satellite imagery show damage to Votkinsk plant after Flamingo strike
Satellite imagery published by open-source groups appears to show extensive damage to a Russian missile plant in Votkinsk after a long-range Ukrainian strike, a development that Ukrainian leaders say demonstrates the reach of domestic Flamingo missiles and that comes amid wider military activity in the region.
Satellite Imagery captures workshop damage and a gaping roof hole at Votkinsk
Open-source groups published satellite imagery that appeared to show damage to one of the workshops at the Votkinsk factory, with a gaping hole in its roof and signs of fire damage. The plant in Votkinsk, in Russia's Udmurt Republic or Udmurtia, is identified in statements as a facility that produces Iskander ballistic missiles and Oreshnik missiles, and other reporting notes it manufactures submarine-launched Bulava missiles as well.
Local governor Alexander Brechalov said an unspecified facility in the region had been attacked on Saturday and that three people were sent to hospital; he did not say whether Flamingo missiles were used and warned about drone threats over the region.
Zelenskyy’s account and the 1, 400 km range claim at a Kyiv press conference with Jonas Gahr Støre
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that his country had carried out precise strikes with Flamingo missiles on Votkinsk, hitting targets 1, 400 kilometers away. He called the strikes "a real success for our industry" and said he would not disclose how many Flamingo missiles were used.
Zelenskyy added that some missiles were intercepted by Russian air defenses while others were not, but he emphasized that "all missiles that were launched reached their target. " He also highlighted that Russian forces are trying to track Flamingo production and said production lines had to be renovated after Russian attacks; "The manufacturers will increase output. This depends on funding and the availability of certain components, " he said.
Distance, preparation and production: nearly 900 miles, 860 miles, 1, 400 km, 1, 900 miles and manufacturing plans
Different figures appear in public statements and reporting. One account said Flamingo missiles flew nearly 900 miles to strike the Votkinsk plant, and officials earlier described the town as some 860 miles from the Ukrainian border. Zelenskyy’s repeated 1, 400-kilometer figure was cited at the Kyiv press conference. Separately, Kyiv has compared the turbofan-powered Flamingo to the US Tomahawk and asserted a longer range figure of 1, 900 miles in those comparisons.
The ground-launched Flamingo is said to take up to 40 minutes to prepare for launch. Ukraine is still building up its fleet: the missile’s manufacturer, FirePoint, previously hoped to produce up to seven a day by the end of 2025, while Kyiv has warned that recent Russian strikes have affected manufacturing and that it must "work on increasing quantity. "
Wider attack dynamics: a large wave of drones and missiles, air defenses and intercepted drones
That same evening Kyiv unleashed a large wave of drones and missiles into Russia in what was described as one of its biggest ever long-range attacks. Russia's defense ministry said it shot down 77 Ukrainian drones on Saturday and did not mention Ukrainian missile threats. Zelenskyy declined to give a total number for missiles and drones launched that day.
He noted "There were interceptions by Russian air defense, there were also missiles that were not intercepted, and there were direct hits, " adding again that the most important point was that launched missiles reached their targets.
Regional ripple effects: fires in Zaporizhzhia, carrier movements and F-22 flights
Separate imagery verified by the same reporting feed showed a shopping centre on fire in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia after a wave of Russian strikes overnight. At the same time, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford was seen leaving port in Greece and departing the Greek island of Crete, appearing to head toward the eastern Mediterranean as part of a US military build-up near Iran.
Video shared with analysts shows three US Air Force F-22 fighter jets taking off from Suffolk's RAF Lakenheath air base on Tuesday; aviation enthusiasts filmed the jets leaving RAF Lakenheath and heading to Israel. An expert described the F-22s as potentially forming part of an "air dominance machine" against Iran. A US newspaper, citing US officials, said F-22 fighters were on their way to Israel and that some had already arrived.
Feed details, named contributors and a note on misinformation
The reporting feed that published the satellite imagery said it uses open-source intelligence, satellite imagery, fact-checking and data analysis to report complex stories and that it posts work throughout the day. Names cited in the feed include Thomas Copeland, Richard Irvine-Brown and Alex Murray. The feed also flagged an instance in which AI was used to spread a false claim that a Mexican cartel had captured a woman who helped authorities track down its leader.
