Russia is now shooting down almost all Ukrainian “Flamingo” cruise missiles, according to the German publication Focus.
In recent weeks, only one or two FP-5 missiles out of 11 launched reportedly reached their targets. They struck the Avitek missile plant in Russia’s Kirov region on July 24–25.
Russia’s A-50U airborne early-warning aircraft are reportedly helping intercept the Flamingo missiles by predicting their most likely flight routes.
As a result, Ukrainian strikes on key industrial facilities in Russia have reportedly stalled.
Since July, the use of A-50 aircraft has changed the situation. Flying at high altitude over Russian territory, they can detect incoming targets much earlier than ground-based radars.