Ukraine Strikes Key Russian Ammunition Depot as Trump Pushes for Peace Deal

Ukraine Deploys Domestically Produced Cruise Missiles in Deep Strike on Russian Military Infrastructure

Ukraine has launched domestically produced FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missiles against Russian military targets, marking a significant escalation in Kyiv’s ability to conduct long-range strikes nearly four years into the war.

According to Ukraine’s military, the missiles were deployed in an overnight attack on February 11-12, targeting a major ammunition and missile arsenal near Kotluban in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast. Ukrainian officials described the facility as one of the largest ammunition storage sites used by Russian forces, belonging to Russia’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU).

Ukrainian authorities reported that powerful explosions and secondary detonations were observed at the targeted site, though the full extent of damage remains under assessment. Video footage released by Ukrainian sources shows the launch of the missiles toward their targets deep inside Russian territory.

Russian regional authorities acknowledged an incident in the same area, though with a different characterization. Volgograd Governor Andrey Bocharov stated that air defenses had intercepted a missile attack, and falling debris ignited a fire at a military facility near Kotluban. The situation was serious enough to prompt evacuations of nearby residents due to the risk of secondary explosions, with Anadolu Agency reporting that buses were prepared to relocate civilians to temporary shelters.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has also publicly referenced the Flamingo system in its communications. In a daily update distributed through state media channels, the ministry claimed its air defenses had shot down five Flamingo long-range cruise missiles over a 24-hour period. The ministry did not provide evidence to support this claim, and Ukrainian officials have not confirmed how many missiles might have been intercepted.

The FP-5 Flamingo represents a significant advancement in Ukraine’s indigenous military capabilities. Ukrainian officials have previously described the missile as having a potential range of up to 3,000 kilometers (approximately 1,864 miles) with an accuracy of within 14 meters of its target. While these claims are difficult to independently verify on the battlefield, the deployment demonstrates Ukraine’s growing technical capability to produce sophisticated weapons systems.

This missile strike comes amid continued diplomatic efforts to find a path toward peace. A new round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine is expected to take place in Geneva next week, even as fighting persists along the more than 1,200-kilometer front line. President Donald Trump recently commented on the negotiations, placing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “get moving” on a deal, stating that “Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelenskyy is going to have to get moving otherwise, he’s going to miss a great opportunity.”

Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll continues to mount. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian attacks across Ukraine persist, with recent strikes causing civilian casualties. A Russian drone assault on port infrastructure near Odesa reportedly killed one person and injured six others. In a separate incident near the eastern front line, three brothers, including an eight-year-old, were killed in a strike that also wounded their mother and grandmother.

The development of indigenous long-range strike capabilities provides Ukraine with new strategic options as the conflict approaches its fourth year. For a country that has been heavily dependent on Western military aid, the ability to produce and deploy sophisticated weapons systems marks an important milestone in Ukraine’s defense industrial capacity, potentially altering the strategic calculus for both sides as the war continues.