https://sputnikglobe.com/20251130/europeans-slam-brakes-on-flamingo-missile-buy-for-ukraine-over-corruption-scandal-1123200818.html
Europeans Slam Brakes on Flamingo Missile Buy for Ukraine Over Corruption Scandal
Europeans Slam Brakes on Flamingo Missile Buy for Ukraine Over Corruption Scandal
Sputnik International
The $525,000 gathered in a Czech crowdfunding campaign Weapons for Ukraine remains in their account and has not been transferred to Fire Point, the company that produces the pink-colored Flamingo missiles, writes iDNES.
2025-11-30T06:04+0000
2025-11-30T06:04+0000
2025-11-30T06:04+0000
ukraine
volodymyr zelensky
corruption
missile
cruise missiles
military
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/0b/1e/1123200626_93:0:3734:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_16aff11ad0f5bb1c3901939749f64522.jpg
The Czech initiative Weapons to Ukraine reconsidered its move after the cruise missile’s manufacturer has been linked to Zelensky’s longtime friend, businessman Timur Mindich, who is at the heart of Ukraine’s massive corruption scandal. According to Dalibor Dedek, the founder of the initiative, there were serious concerns that the money “might not go toward the product it was intended for.” Mindich claimed a 50% stake in Fire Point—a company that morphed from a modest film studio into a magnet for major military contracts, according to Ukrainian media reports citing its co-owner, Denys Shtilerman. Shtilerman described himself as the chief designer of the Flamingo missiles, which he promoted together with Zelensky. First reports about the Flamingo missile appeared this August, with Ukraine bragging that the pink cruise missile could strike targets up to 3,000 kilometers away. However, Martin Ondracek, one of the Czech initiative’s representatives who visited Ukraine, admitted that it is still not 100% certain that the missile can actually fly and accurately hit a target. Fire Point has already been linked to a scandal, with Ukrainian media reporting that the firm leveraged its connections to secure military contracts, inflated the prices of components for drones, and has faced several criminal cases opened by the anti-corruption bureau.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20251002/ukraines-flamingo-cruise-missile-from-flashy-wunderwaffe-to-flop-1122899562.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20251129/us-ordered-corruption-probe-in-zelenskys-inner-circle--medvedchuk-1123196932.html
ukraine
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2025
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
europeans slam brakes on flamingo missile buy for ukraine over corruption scandal, fire point company, pink flamingo cruise missile for ukraine, what is known about the flamingo cruise missile
europeans slam brakes on flamingo missile buy for ukraine over corruption scandal, fire point company, pink flamingo cruise missile for ukraine, what is known about the flamingo cruise missile
Europeans Slam Brakes on Flamingo Missile Buy for Ukraine Over Corruption Scandal
The roughly $525,000 gathered in a Czech crowdfunding campaign remains in the initiative’s account and has not been transferred to Fire Point, the company that produces the pink-colored Flamingo missiles, writes Czech news portal iDNES.
The Czech initiative Weapons to Ukraine reconsidered its move after the cruise missile’s manufacturer has been linked to Zelensky’s longtime friend, businessman Timur Mindich, who is at the heart of
Ukraine’s massive corruption scandal.
According to Dalibor Dedek, the founder of the initiative, there were serious concerns that the money “might not go toward the product it was intended for.”
Mindich claimed a 50% stake in Fire Point—a company that morphed from a modest film studio into a magnet for major military contracts, according to Ukrainian media reports citing its co-owner, Denys Shtilerman. Shtilerman described himself as the chief designer of the Flamingo missiles, which he promoted together with Zelensky.
2 October 2025, 18:01 GMT
First reports about the Flamingo missile appeared this August, with Ukraine bragging that the pink cruise missile could strike targets up to 3,000 kilometers away.
However, Martin Ondracek, one of the Czech initiative’s representatives who visited Ukraine, admitted that it is still not 100% certain that the missile can actually fly and accurately hit a target.
"If anyone comes out of this story looking like an idiot, it will be me—because I’m the one who was photographed next to the missile," Ondracek told the publication.
Fire Point has already been linked to a scandal, with Ukrainian media reporting that the firm leveraged its connections to secure military contracts, inflated the prices of components for drones, and has faced several criminal cases opened by the anti-corruption bureau.
29 November 2025, 05:45 GMT
