Fire Point (Ukrainian firm)
Ukrainian defence technology company
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Fire Point is a Ukrainian defence technology company headquartered in Kyiv. Founded in 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it specializes in the design, development, and production of long-range strike drones and cruise missiles. The company's flagship products are the FP-1 series of deep-strike drones and the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, both of which have been deployed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to conduct precision strikes inside Russian-held territory.[1][2]
Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defence technology |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Denis Shtilerman (Co-founder) |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Ukraine |
Key people |
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| Products |
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Production output |
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Number of employees | 500+ (2025) |
History
Fire Point was established in mid-2022 by a group of engineers, architects, and game designers seeking to develop cost-effective, high-performance unmanned aerial systems in support of Ukraine's defence industry. Initially operating in makeshift workshops, the company rapidly scaled to multiple covert production facilities across Kyiv and surrounding regions.[1]
In late 2024, Fire Point unveiled its FP-1 series of long-range “deep-strike” drones, capable of reaching targets up to 1,600 km away. Production increased from an initial target of 30 units per month to over 100 units per day by mid-2025, with each drone costing approximately US$55,000 to manufacture.[1]
In 2025, Fire Point unveiled the FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missile, weighing 6,000 kg with a warhead of 1,150 kg and a maximum range of 3,000 km. The company invited journalists from the Associated Press to tour a production facility where the missiles were being built.[3]
In August 2025, it was reported that National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) had launched an investigation into Fire Point, examining whether the company inflated the cost of components used in its products, the number of drones supplied to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, or both. The probe was reported to be also looking into possible links between the company and Timur Mindich, co-owner of the Kvartal 95 television studio founded by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[4][5] The company confirmed the existence of an investigation while denying the allegations.[4] NABU initially declined to comment, before stating that the FP-5 Flamingo missile was not under investigation.[6]
Mindich left Ukraine hours before another wider NABU investigation was announced on 10 November 2025.[7][8] Fire Point created an advisory board on 12 November, and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was reported to have joined this board on 17 November.[9]
Products
FP-1 series
The FP-1 is a propeller-driven one-way attack drone with a 1,600 km range when carrying a 50 kg warhead, and a maximum warhead size of 120 kg.[10][11] Its design emphasises modularity, ease of assembly, and electronic warfare resilience. The system has been credited with conducting more than 60 percent of Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory, targeting ammunition depots, oil refineries, and command centres.[1] Future upgrades will increase the baseline warhead weight to 105 kg while maintaining range.[12]
FP-2 series
In response to demand from frontline units, the FP-2 series of drones was developed as a mid-range alternative to the FP-1. The design of the FP-1 was adapted for a reduced range of 200 km, while its warhead weight was increased to 105 kg.[11] Some warheads used by the FP-2 series are existing aerial bombs, while others are developed by outside suppliers. A future upgrade will increase the FP-2's warhead weight to 158 kg.[12] Major Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces (Ukraine), complained about the quality of warheads used in FP-2 drones. Six Ukrainian FP-2 drones struck a command post of the 58th Guards Combined Arms Army in Kadiivka. Brovdi claimed that only two would have been required, instead of six, if “the warheads had performed to their declared specifications.” Fire Point’s co-founder and chief designer Denis Shtilerman claimed the warheads came from third party suppliers but quality control was maintained through routine inspections.[13]
FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile
Announced in early 2025, the FP-5 Flamingo is a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of up to 3,000 km and a warhead mass of 1,150 kg. Its airframe is constructed using radar-transparent fiberglass winding, a technique typically reserved for ballistic missiles. Production ramp-up began with 30 units per month in mid-2025, with a goal of 210 units per month by October 2025.[2] Ukrainian sources claimed that Flamingo missiles were used in August 2025 to successfully target a Federal Security Service outpost in Crimea, in what was described as their first combat use.[14][15]
Product announcements
On 4 September 2025, at the MSPO defense exhibition in Poland, Fire Point unveiled two new ballistic missile systems, designated FP-7 and FP-9, alongside plans for air defense systems.[16][17][18] Both missiles ascend into high trajectories before descending on their targets, making their high terminal speeds a challenge for most air defense systems.[18]
The FP-7 is a tactical ballistic missile with an operational range of up to 200 km, a top speed of approximately 1,500 m/s, and a warhead weighing around 150 kg.[16] The missile can remain in flight for up to 250 seconds and achieves an estimated accuracy (circular error probable, CEP) of about 14 m when launched from ground-based platforms for operational strikes.[17] A FP-7 was tested on 28 February 2026, based on a Soviet S-400 missile system interceptor, the 48N6, it has been simplified. Using a “hot launch” the missile “ignites its solid-fuel motor directly from the launcher and travels along an inclined guide rail rather than launching vertically.” While based on a Soviet missile it is made of carbon fibre and has modern electronics. Using Ukrainian-made solid fuel a hot launch could allow for a faster deployment and better concealment.[19] The FP-7 is said to be half the cost of a ATACMS. It has a range of “several hundred kilometres” and could have a “much larger warhead” than the ATACMS. According to the company the launchers can be disguised as “ordinary trucks”.[20]
The FP-9 is a short-range ballistic missile capable of striking targets up to 855 km away, with a velocity up to 2,200 m/s and an 800 kg warhead.[18] It can reach altitudes of around 70 km and maintains an accuracy of roughly 20 m, targeting high-value assets deep within enemy lines.[16]
Operations
Fire Point's manufacturing occurs in concealed facilities to mitigate the risk of Russian air attacks. The company employs over 500 personnel, including engineers, technicians, and support staff. It works closely with Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and domestic military research institutes on system integration and battlefield feedback loops.