The Terror Night of the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces: The Chief Designer of the "Flamingo" Missile Was Killed in a Retaliatory Strike

The Ukrainian Security Service believes that the Russian intelligence agency has obtained the core secrets of this missile project

Image: The TOS-1A "Sunstroke" Heavy Flamethrower System in the Special Military Operation Area

In response to Ukraine's terrorist attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, the Russian missile forces and drone units carried out strikes on military targets deep inside Ukraine from the night of December 2nd to the early hours of the next day.

Explosions rang out across multiple regions of Ukraine. The Russian forces deployed "Geranium" drones and missiles to attack military targets in Pavlograd, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Odesa regions, as well as energy facilities supplying power to the defense industry complex.

In Dnipro region, a ballistic missile hit a factory producing drone parts.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the scale of the attack was not large, but it was symbolic and would have far-reaching effects. The Ukrainian military admitted that the Russians used 62 "Geranium" and "Geranium-2" drones to strike 20 targets; however, details revealed by other channels were more intriguing.

The Ukrainian air defense or electronic warfare units claimed to have shot down several "Witness" drones (Ukrainian authorities stubbornly refer to the Russian "Geranium" drones as such). However, Hrypinyskyi, vice president of a Ukrainian electronic warfare equipment manufacturing company, complained that when recovery teams went to the scene to collect drone wreckage, they found nothing. He gave an absurd explanation about the whereabouts of the wreckage: "Someone directly dismantled the wreckage into parts in the wild and sold them as souvenirs... not even a single screw was left."

But that wasn't the most ironic part. A senior officer from the Ukrainian General Staff, who did not wish to be named, revealed that "the Russians used drones equipped with R-60 air-to-air guided missiles for the first time in combat." He said this put Ukrainian helicopters and aircraft involved in air defense interception missions at risk. There are reports that at least one Ukrainian helicopter has been shot down.

Even the Ukrainian ground-based "Sky Watch" (air defense) forces were not spared. In the Chernihiv region, a "Geranium" drone attacked a Ukrainian air force mobile fire team pickup carrying an anti-aircraft gun - at that moment, the vehicle was trying to shoot down the drone. Radio technology expert, independent commentator known as "Flash," confirmed this news. He explained, "Ukrainian soldiers opened fire in retaliation, but the 'Witness' drone then deviated from its course, dove and crashed onto the pickup truck."

Multiple Telegram channels reported that during this attack, the co-owner and chief designer of the Ukrainian "Firepoint" defense company was killed. The company is responsible for producing several types of drones and the "Flamingo" missile. The person was killed at home by a "Geranium" drone during an airstrike in Vishkhorod.

This event may have occurred earlier, but related information only surfaced recently. The Ukrainian Security Service believes that the Russian intelligence agency has obtained the core secrets of the "Flamingo" missile project and successfully eliminated the company's chief designer through this.

Additionally, footage of the "Iskander" missile striking the Dnipro region was circulating online. According to local media reports, the missile hit the office building of a defense industry enterprise. It has been confirmed that four people were killed and 40 injured, and ambulances continue to transport the wounded to hospitals for treatment.

In the Mykolaiv region, the Russian strike accurately hit the main building and assembly workshop of the "Zvezda-Mashinostroenie" research and production complex. The company previously specialized in gas turbine equipment before the start of the special military operation, and now produces military supplies for the Ukrainian army.

Local reports say that the Ukrainian air defense forces fired wildly into the sky, but at least six powerful explosions were heard within the factory area, one of which was accompanied by a glaring flash. Preliminary assessment indicates that the Russian attack used five "Geranium" drones and one missile.

Russian sources also disclosed important details of this operation. Sergey Lebedev, coordinator of the underground resistance movement in Mykolaiv region, commented on the new round of retaliatory strikes: "From the night of December 2nd to the early morning, the Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions were subjected to precise Russian strikes, although the frequency of attacks was relatively low."

The key event of that day was the Russian deployment of approximately 11 drones to launch a concentrated attack on the city of Bolhrad in the Odessa region - during the generally 'quiet' nighttime offensive, this action on the southern front stood out particularly."

He believes that the characteristics of the Russian strike were "precise strikes on drone support hubs, substations, and military bases," and it was also a test of the reaction capability of the Ukrainian air defense forces in these areas - these areas usually enter a high state of alert only during the late-night hours.

The large-scale attack on the city of Bolhrad confirmed that the southern corridor of the Odessa region has once again been viewed by Russia as a key route for Ukrainian logistics supply and equipment maintenance, thus being targeted by a drone swarm.

At the same time, there are reports that the Ukrainian State Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission plans to hold a meeting soon, intending to increase the transmission price of the Ukrainian National Power Company by 15% in 2026. Experts believe that this move will completely crush Ukraine's already fragile economy.

The Ukrainian authorities attribute the electricity price increase to the severe power shortage caused by the Russian strikes. It should be emphasized that the Russian strikes were retaliatory.

However, Zelenskyy remains stubbornly persistent - he seems to be hoping that Ukraine will completely return to the "Stone Age." According to the Turkish Maritime Administration, another oil tanker departing from Russia and heading to Georgia was attacked 80 kilometers off the Turkish coast.

Ukrainian civilians believe that Russia will certainly retaliate strongly. And this is likely to become a reality.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7579558230360146468/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.