For Those Who Might Be Wondering Why We Might Be In Ukraine

Girkin has published a highly critical letter from prison regarding the negotiation process:

Although our president claims that Zelensky is illegitimate, in practice he is legitimate, since he is recognized as such by most of the world’s states, all European countries, and even by Trump himself. It is Trump who has become the so-called moderator of the peace process, which in reality will not take place, and it is he who determines who is legitimate and who is not. The role of mediator between himself and Zelensky, Vladimir Vladimirovich has personally handed over to Trump.

As for the specifics, for me there is no question at all about what the negotiations will bring — because nothing will be signed. This peace process is stillborn and can only be considered as a way of dragging out time, something in which our leaders are quite skilled. In this case, stalling for time is to some extent even in our favor, since no new sanctions are being imposed against Russia and a background is being created in which America is less willing to allocate additional aid to Zelensky, even though he is already receiving more than enough. As for the outcome, it can be said with a high degree of probability: Ukraine and Russia will not be able to reconcile their positions.

There will be no exchange of territories, because if we take the ‘Witkoff’ option — the exchange of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson territory for parts of Donbas — both sides will end up losing, and only the United States will win. At present, neither Russia nor Ukraine is ready to acknowledge defeat, therefore they will not agree to such a deal.

If we take the ‘Vladimir Vladimirovich’ option — the exchange of small sections of Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts for the same Donbas territories controlled by Ukraine — naturally Ukraine will not agree, since the value of these territories is practically zero.

Unfortunately, Kyiv holds densely populated agglomeration areas, while we hold only small border sections with completely destroyed infrastructure, where heavy fighting is ongoing: sometimes more successfully, sometimes less, and sometimes not successfully at all. In any case, our gains are merely tactical and of no decisive importance.

Therefore, there will be no agreements or results. In the end, it is highly likely that Trump will declare that either Putin is incapable of negotiation, or Zelensky is, or both. America will wash its hands and leave it to the Europeans — who remain and will remain its allies — to help Ukraine in whatever way they see fit.

That means purchasing weapons for Ukraine in America, transferring them, and supporting in every other way. At the same time, the United States itself supplies these weapons, provides intelligence, and in fact created the so-called Ukraine in its current form after the 2014 Maidan.

The U.S. is essentially stepping aside — removing itself from possible retribution (if such ever occurs) and freeing its hands. A very convenient position for them.

America’s interest is for Russia to return as a vassal to its sphere of influence, breaking away from China, and it tries to trade between Russia and Ukraine in such a way that both sides lose.

At the moment, this is not working. Therefore, I believe this entire peace process will end in a deadlock.

Furthermore, I would note this: if before a Zelensky-Putin meeting Russia gained certain dividends — for example, Trump was forced to recognize Putin’s legitimacy, despite the fact that earlier he was declared an international criminal and put on a wanted list — now, if a meeting in Minsk takes place as expected, we will find ourselves at a loss. We will be forced to recognize Zelensky’s legitimacy despite numerous declarations of his illegitimacy.

Overall, I expect nothing from this except a process for the sake of process, which will end in nothing, while all real decisions will still be made on the battlefield.

Who will win this war will be decided precisely in the course of the war.

Girkin is a pretty astute guy and obviously living a protected life in a Russian prison - he's aligned with one of the FSB factions and obviously protected .

1755639830867.png
 
As for the new FP-5 Flamingo Cruise Missile...

The Flamingo (FP-5) outclasses the Tomahawk in range (3,000+ km vs. 1,600 km) and warhead weight (1 ton vs. 450 kg), leveraging a larger, simpler design for rapid production to meet Ukraine’s immediate needs. One ton warhead is a "blockbuster". The New Ukrainian Flamingo Missile Turns Out to Be a British Design,the missile is an exact copy of the large FP-5 cruise missile developed by the Emirati-British Milanion Group. In February of this year, the missile was demonstrated at a military exhibition in Abu Dhabi. It’s not stealthy or fast, but it has the range and payload to do serious damage. If combined with decoys, drones, and ballistic missiles, some will get through—and hit hard. It does fly on a turbo-jet engine and uses a solid rocket booster, which is jettisoned, for launch.

The FP-5 is claimed to be 1/5th the $1.4 million unit cost of an American Tomahawk - so arund $300,000 per unit. Larger, simpler, and far cheaper than the Tomahawk, and designed for rapid mass production. Milanion, a UAE-headquartered defence contractor, has supplied the Ukrainian forces before and often sets up local manufacturing of its products in customer nations. Sources so far indicate possible collaboration, but no confirmed license purchase from Britain. It's produced domestically in Ukraine.

The issue for Russia with the FP-5 is that its range makes Russian national air defense practically impossible. Ukraine can reach facilities on the other side of the Urals and north to Murmansk with the FP-5.

With a similar configuration, drag will not be dominated by lift induced wing drag but will form drag which is typical for 500 knots air speed jets and missiles with low aspect ratio wings. So a rule of thumb estimate is that you will need around 4 x the thrust of a Tomahawk F107-WR-402 700 lbf (3.1 kN) engine for an FP-5 Flamingo GLCM. So you need an engine in the 3,000 lbf class or better engine if you want good terrain following performance. The AI-25 is a volume built Ukrainian engine used in L-39 trainers. Please note the article writers over at the Ukrainian Defence Express have come to similar a conclusion.

Ukraine was set up to mass produce the AI-25 engine at Motorsich and it made thousands to fit into the Warsaw Pact L-39C trainer fleet. So, Ukraine refitting low thousands of off the shelf 1970s technology engines for FP-5 GLCMs is no challenge and likely very cheap as well. New production of the Al-25 might be hairy, but the AI-25TLK was also licensed built in the PRC as the WS-11.




1755645339066.png1755645759438.png
 

“Tomahawks are outdated”: Ukraine’s Flamingo missile bets on mass, not stealth


When images of Ukraine’s new Flamingo cruise missile appeared, experts quickly pointed out the resemblance to another system. The War Zone (TWZ) described Flamingo as “extremely similar, if not identical” to the FP-5 made by UAE-based Milanion. Its specifications — 3,000 km range, 950 km/h top speed, a one-ton warhead, and rail-trailer launchers — align almost exactly with Milanion’s brochure. Still, TWZ cautioned that “the exact relationship… is unknown,” leaving room for Ukrainian modifications.

Ukraine’s arsenal has long been defined by shortage. Western aid remains vital but insufficient, while domestic production struggles to match demand. Out of this gap came drones—not as a choice but as a necessity—allowing Kyiv to strike deep despite limited means. The Flamingo now represents a step beyond improvisation toward true strategic weapons. Like the FP-5, Flamingo is no small weapon. Defense Express called it a “behemoth” with a six-meter wingspan and six-ton takeoff weight. Its simple, straight wings make it cheaper to produce but easier to detect. “The larger the missile, the more noticeable it becomes,” they noted, though they stressed the lack of stealth is “not a critical one.” Ukraine has already used large, non-stealthy Tu-141 drones to strike deep into Russia, proving size is not an automatic disqualifier. TWZ, however, added a sharper caveat: with “what looks like zero attempts at signature control, the Flamingo is far from immune to interception.” Yet this vulnerability is also part of its logic — a missile that blurs the line with drones, built for mass production and salvos rather than invisibility.

Manufacturer Fire Point has gone further than analysts, telling Ukrinform and Kyiv Post that Flamingo is “better than the US Tomahawk.” “Tomahawks… are outdated. They have absolutely everything worse than today’s Flamingos,” a company representative claimed, adding that Tomahawks are also “five times more expensive.” On paper, Flamingo outranges most Tomahawk versions, carries more than double the payload, and flies slightly faster. Where Tomahawk still holds an edge is in its proven TERCOM guidance system, which allows it to resist GPS jamming — a crucial factor in Ukraine’s electronic warfare environment.

The Flamingo is not the first missile of its kind. Its reliance on ground-rail launchers recalls Germany’s V-1 flying bomb of World War II, while its bulk and range echo the US MGM-13 Mace fielded in Europe during the 1950s. More recently, it sits in the same strategic category as Russia’s Kalibr, which has been used extensively against Ukrainian cities. Each of these weapons marked a shift in reach and destructive power. Flamingo may be Ukraine’s turn at the same playbook. The Telegraph framed Flamingo as more than a technical feat. Vladimir Putin’s political stability, it argued, rests on shielding Moscow and St. Petersburg from devastation. “The Flamingo could potentially… visit the same sort of destruction on Putin’s core cities as Russian weapons have on those of Ukraine,” wrote Lewis Page. But he cautioned that Flamingo is “essentially just a faster drone” and would need to be deployed in large salvos with decoys to get through Russia’s formidable defenses.

Whether Flamingo changes the battlefield will depend on production scale and its ability to survive modern air defenses. What is certain is that Ukraine now has a weapon that embodies strategic independence: a domestically produced missile, resembling Milanion’s FP-5, but aimed at taking the war much deeper into Russia than ever before.

https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/08/20/ukraine-flamingo-missile-tomahawk/

1755647564179.png
 
As for the new FP-5 Flamingo Cruise Missile...

The Flamingo (FP-5) outclasses the Tomahawk in range (3,000+ km vs. 1,600 km) and warhead weight (1 ton vs. 450 kg), leveraging a larger, simpler design for rapid production to meet Ukraine’s immediate needs. One ton warhead is a "blockbuster". The New Ukrainian Flamingo Missile Turns Out to Be a British Design,the missile is an exact copy of the large FP-5 cruise missile developed by the Emirati-British Milanion Group. In February of this year, the missile was demonstrated at a military exhibition in Abu Dhabi. It’s not stealthy or fast, but it has the range and payload to do serious damage. If combined with decoys, drones, and ballistic missiles, some will get through—and hit hard. It does fly on a turbo-jet engine and uses a solid rocket booster, which is jettisoned, for launch.

The FP-5 is claimed to be 1/5th the $1.4 million unit cost of an American Tomahawk - so arund $300,000 per unit. Larger, simpler, and far cheaper than the Tomahawk, and designed for rapid mass production. Milanion, a UAE-headquartered defence contractor, has supplied the Ukrainian forces before and often sets up local manufacturing of its products in customer nations. Sources so far indicate possible collaboration, but no confirmed license purchase from Britain. It's produced domestically in Ukraine.

The issue for Russia with the FP-5 is that its range makes Russian national air defense practically impossible. Ukraine can reach facilities on the other side of the Urals and north to Murmansk with the FP-5.

With a similar configuration, drag will not be dominated by lift induced wing drag but will form drag which is typical for 500 knots air speed jets and missiles with low aspect ratio wings. So a rule of thumb estimate is that you will need around 4 x the thrust of a Tomahawk F107-WR-402 700 lbf (3.1 kN) engine for an FP-5 Flamingo GLCM. So you need an engine in the 3,000 lbf class or better engine if you want good terrain following performance. The AI-25 is a volume built Ukrainian engine used in L-39 trainers. Please note the article writers over at the Ukrainian Defence Express have come to similar a conclusion.

Ukraine was set up to mass produce the AI-25 engine at Motorsich and it made thousands to fit into the Warsaw Pact L-39C trainer fleet. So, Ukraine refitting low thousands of off the shelf 1970s technology engines for FP-5 GLCMs is no challenge and likely very cheap as well. New production of the Al-25 might be hairy, but the AI-25TLK was also licensed built in the PRC as the WS-11.




View attachment 2559174View attachment 2559176

Great minds think alike:

I was just about to post a comment about the need for this beast to be part of a diverse attack grouping of drones, etc.

That pig isn’t getting through without some help.

Also:

If that beast gets anywhere near its legitimate military target (oil production / storage site, electronics factory, etc) in a populated area, the risk of shooting it down becomes its own problem.

😳

Slava Ukraini!!!

🇺🇦
 
Russia thought it had finally broken through Ukraine’s defenses in Pokrovsk. After months of grinding assaults, Putin’s forces believed victory was at hand—only to fall straight into Ukraine’s trap. The Azov Brigade struck back with a deadly pincer movement, surrounding 800 Russian soldiers and destroying much of the force. What began as a potential turning point for Russia ended in disaster. Watch how Ukraine flipped the script in one of the war’s fiercest battles.

 

Russia FINALLY Runs Out: Last Reserves Now BURNING​


Ukraine is striking Russia’s war machine at its core, targeting both money and fuel. This video reveals how Ukrainian drone strikes on key refineries and severed pipelines are crippling Russia's military logistics and starving the Kremlin's budget. The attacks on facilities like the Lukoil refinery and the Druzhba "Friendship" pipeline are not just cutting off fuel to the front lines, but are also disrupting crucial oil exports and directly impacting Russia’s economy. This strategic pressure is evident on the battlefield and in Moscow's financial system.

The Kremlin's desperation is on full display as it offers astronomical salaries for drone pilots and soldiers to buy loyalty. This reckless spending has triggered a financial collapse, with recruitment failing and Russia's National Welfare Fund being drained. Even in Crimea, a supposed fortress, fuel shortages and military vulnerabilities are exposing a fragile defense. The picture is clear: when an army runs out of fuel, it collapses. This is the truth about the Russia-Ukraine war, and it proves that Putin's strategic strength is now a profound weakness.

 

“Tomahawks are outdated”: Ukraine’s Flamingo missile bets on mass, not stealth


When images of Ukraine’s new Flamingo cruise missile appeared, experts quickly pointed out the resemblance to another system. The War Zone (TWZ) described Flamingo as “extremely similar, if not identical” to the FP-5 made by UAE-based Milanion. Its specifications — 3,000 km range, 950 km/h top speed, a one-ton warhead, and rail-trailer launchers — align almost exactly with Milanion’s brochure. Still, TWZ cautioned that “the exact relationship… is unknown,” leaving room for Ukrainian modifications.

Ukraine’s arsenal has long been defined by shortage. Western aid remains vital but insufficient, while domestic production struggles to match demand. Out of this gap came drones—not as a choice but as a necessity—allowing Kyiv to strike deep despite limited means. The Flamingo now represents a step beyond improvisation toward true strategic weapons. Like the FP-5, Flamingo is no small weapon. Defense Express called it a “behemoth” with a six-meter wingspan and six-ton takeoff weight. Its simple, straight wings make it cheaper to produce but easier to detect. “The larger the missile, the more noticeable it becomes,” they noted, though they stressed the lack of stealth is “not a critical one.” Ukraine has already used large, non-stealthy Tu-141 drones to strike deep into Russia, proving size is not an automatic disqualifier. TWZ, however, added a sharper caveat: with “what looks like zero attempts at signature control, the Flamingo is far from immune to interception.” Yet this vulnerability is also part of its logic — a missile that blurs the line with drones, built for mass production and salvos rather than invisibility.

Manufacturer Fire Point has gone further than analysts, telling Ukrinform and Kyiv Post that Flamingo is “better than the US Tomahawk.” “Tomahawks… are outdated. They have absolutely everything worse than today’s Flamingos,” a company representative claimed, adding that Tomahawks are also “five times more expensive.” On paper, Flamingo outranges most Tomahawk versions, carries more than double the payload, and flies slightly faster. Where Tomahawk still holds an edge is in its proven TERCOM guidance system, which allows it to resist GPS jamming — a crucial factor in Ukraine’s electronic warfare environment.

The Flamingo is not the first missile of its kind. Its reliance on ground-rail launchers recalls Germany’s V-1 flying bomb of World War II, while its bulk and range echo the US MGM-13 Mace fielded in Europe during the 1950s. More recently, it sits in the same strategic category as Russia’s Kalibr, which has been used extensively against Ukrainian cities. Each of these weapons marked a shift in reach and destructive power. Flamingo may be Ukraine’s turn at the same playbook. The Telegraph framed Flamingo as more than a technical feat. Vladimir Putin’s political stability, it argued, rests on shielding Moscow and St. Petersburg from devastation. “The Flamingo could potentially… visit the same sort of destruction on Putin’s core cities as Russian weapons have on those of Ukraine,” wrote Lewis Page. But he cautioned that Flamingo is “essentially just a faster drone” and would need to be deployed in large salvos with decoys to get through Russia’s formidable defenses.

Whether Flamingo changes the battlefield will depend on production scale and its ability to survive modern air defenses. What is certain is that Ukraine now has a weapon that embodies strategic independence: a domestically produced missile, resembling Milanion’s FP-5, but aimed at taking the war much deeper into Russia than ever before.

https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/08/20/ukraine-flamingo-missile-tomahawk/

View attachment 2559184
Of course they are and that's exactly why Anduril's products are kicking ass. Or Lockheed-Martins AGM-158 ($150,000).

The only reason the Tomahawk is still in the inventory is because they're already bought and paid for.
 
Trump has misunderstood what Putin told him, and that is a problem for the Russian president. Now he either has to make the concessions that Trump has told the world about, or he will have to disappoint the American president. I discuss whether this is a negotiation tactic or just Trump not understanding the issues. In either case, the concessions that Trump is talking about can become a starting point for future negotiations.

"Trump doesnt want to think too hard to understand the subtle contexts." This is a very polite way of saying Trump is so dumb that he accidentally checkmated Putin.

With his "root cause" nonsense, Putin is really saying NATO should get out of Ukraine. There's a very fundamental difference in viewpoints here and Trumps is completely misunderstand the context and meaning of what Putin is saying vs what Trump says and means.

 

Ruzzian Supply Train Kaboomed, Supplies Cut​

Railroad connect to Kherson front paralyzed for days to come. Russian Fuel train fucked up.

 

DRUZHBA OIL PIPELINE DESTROYED


Ukraine imposing sanctions on Russian Oil exports. Also cuts oil flow to Belarus.


 
Trump has misunderstood what Putin told him, and that is a problem for the Russian president. Now he either has to make the concessions that Trump has told the world about, or he will have to disappoint the American president. I discuss whether this is a negotiation tactic or just Trump not understanding the issues. In either case, the concessions that Trump is talking about can become a starting point for future negotiations.

"Trump doesnt want to think too hard to understand the subtle contexts." This is a very polite way of saying Trump is so dumb that he accidentally checkmated Putin.

With his "root cause" nonsense, Putin is really saying NATO should get out of Ukraine. There's a very fundamental difference in viewpoints here and Trumps is completely misunderstand the context and meaning of what Putin is saying vs what Trump says and means.

That one isn't flying Chloe.
 
That one isn't flying Chloe.

Yes, I tend to agree with you but I try to post interesting takes as well. I just came across this guy, I have to see what else he has to say.

Personally, I think he's attributimg way to much subtlety to whats going on
 
Yes, I tend to agree with you but I try to post interesting takes as well. I just came across this guy, I have to see what else he has to say.

Personally, I think he's attributimg way to much subtlety to whats going on
Putin is a psychopath with nuclear weapons. There really isn't all that subtlety, just manipulation. Trump stated as much going into this latest round. What should be taken note of is the fact that the leaders assembled in the oval office came out with a united front. Putin may be a psychopath but he's not insane so he knows he needs to tread carefully now.

Now comes the timing issue. Are the European security commitments going to be made before the Zelensky/Putin sit down? The timing here is more important than many would think.
 
I don't understand how you can continue with this pretense. The US is willing to give Article 5 level protections directly from the US and not through NATO, and yet you still think Trump is supporting Putin.

And supporting that level of disrespect in your meme isn't helpful to solving the political issues which created the conflict in the first place.

I also think you need to talk to your parents about what happens when war is allowed to continue unchecked.
Arpy, that's so misguided and how you believe that is a good thing is a bit surprising for a fellow of your high intellect.

Trump isn’t offering “Article 5 protections” if it is just the USA offering something akin to it. Article 5 means all NATO nations defend each other. If Russia attacked Poland or the Baltics, they’d face the U.S., Britain, France, Germany—everyone—at once. That’s why Putin has never dared to test NATO.

What Trump floats instead is the U.S. making one-on-one deals. That’s not Article 5; it’s a knockoff. Instead of 30 allies standing together, America is alone, making it easier for Russia to divide and pressure countries. But in reality, weakening NATO and substituting bilateral promises plays directly into Putin’s strategy, because it fractures collective defense and isolates America.

Trump is so... bad at diplomacy. Those who initially supported his bravado and lunacy are now backpedaling away. When Trump can't and hasn't taken a firm presidential stance that he said he would against Russia, can you blame anyone for not supporting him?
 
Arpy, that's so misguided and how you believe that is a good thing is a bit surprising for a fellow of your high intellect.

Trump isn’t offering “Article 5 protections” if it is just the USA offering something akin to it. Article 5 means all NATO nations defend each other. If Russia attacked Poland or the Baltics, they’d face the U.S., Britain, France, Germany—everyone—at once. That’s why Putin has never dared to test NATO.

Exactly, except Trump has also said no US boots on the ground, and without US boots on the ground other NATO countries will not put anyone there either. That negates the enture "security guarantees" proposal, becaue with Russia, nothing less than boots on the ground as a security guarantee is realistic. Ukraine has had "security guarantees" before, undet the 1994 Budapest Agreement, and every party involved (except Ukraine) has failed to meet their committments. Trump can sign any piece of paper he likes, but as with the Budapest Memo, it's merey a worthless piece of paper without thse boots n the ground.

Putin has signed numerous agreements with Ukraine in the past, and he has broken every simgle one of them. Why would ANY sane person believe that "this time we'll adhere to the agreeement." Nope, it's US boots n the ground, NATO membership or :fuckoffski, you're talking shit" time. As is already evident, Putin was merely stalling Trump with negotiations. He has no intention of turning up for any meeting with Zelensky. He will stall, prevaricate, make excuses and keep attacking - and, sorry to say, Trump will let him and keep making excuses. Because for whatever reason, Trump has sided with Putin.

The best that can be hoped for is that, transactional as he is, he will sell weapons to NATO for Ukraine to use. Because there will be no "peace agreement." Putin doesn't want one. He wants to defeat Ukraine, pure and simple. Thats it. The only solution is the defeat and collapse of Russia. End of Story.
 
Russian media report massive lines at gas stations due to a fuel shortage — refineries have partially or completely halted operations after drone attacks. Fuel collapse in Russia: Primorsky Krai — huge queues at gas stations; occupied Crimea — fuel disruptions; Zabaykalsky Krai — gasoline sold by coupons.

Apparently 7 regions now affected but there may be more

 
NATO will give security assurances. US boots might be on the ground
 
Exactly, except Trump has also said no US boots on the ground, and without US boots on the ground other NATO countries will not put anyone there either.

Poland might. The Poles are not afraid of the Russians. Not at all.
 
Of course they are and that's exactly why Anduril's products are kicking ass. Or Lockheed-Martins AGM-158 ($150,000).

The only reason the Tomahawk is still in the inventory is because they're already bought and paid for.

The Tomahawk is still one of the deadliest and most accurate cruise missiles out there.

Also, with a +1600km range it puts Moscow in the crosshairs.
 
Back
Top