'Explosion in production area' — Ukraine confirms Flamingo missiles hit explosives plant in Russia's Samara Oblast
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainian Flamingo missiles struck the JSC Promsintez explosives production plant in Russia's Samara Oblast on the morning of March 28, Ukraine's General Staff reported.
The "strategically important facility" produces over 30,000 metric tons of explosives for bombs and missiles annually, the General Staff wrote on Telegram.
"A confirmed strike on the target was followed by an explosion in the production area," the General Staff wrote.
The extent of the damage is being assessed.
Initially, Russian Telegram media channels reported the attack.
Photos and videos published on social media by local residents appear to show a large fireball emanating from the production plant, located in the city of Chapaevsk. A photo published to social media by Russian Telegram media channels purportedly shows the FP-5 Flamingo missile approaching the plant.
Amid the reported strike, Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev warned of a missile threat on the region. Explosions were first reported by local resident around 6:30 a.m. local time.
Russian forces also reportedly shot down 155 Ukrainian drones across 16 regions overnight on March 28, including in the occupied-Crimean peninsula and Moscow , according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
Moscow only reported on the drones that were downed, without saying if any hit their targets.
The Flamingo missile, built by controversial defense manufacturer Fire Point, has only been used by Kyiv on a handful of occasions since being first unveiled last summer, with its reported use increasing since November 2025.
With a 1,000-kilogram warhead and a 3,000-kilometer (1,864 miles) stated range, the domestically produced Flamingo has promised to dramatically enhance Ukraine's long-range strike capability.
The JSC Promsintez explosives manufacturing plant is located approximately 750 kilometers from the Ukraine-Russia border.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously called the weapon Ukraine's "most successful missile." He claimed then that mass production of Flamingo missiles would begin in the winter of 2025-2026.
On Feb. 20, Ukraine used Flamingo missiles to strike the Votkinsk plant in Russia's Udmurtia Republic, where Russia produces the Iskander-M ballistic missile system, one of the key elements in Moscow's mid- and long-range strike arsenal.
