The Ukrainian company Fire Point, specializing in the production of long-range drones and missiles, launched a covert operation about nine months ago. Under the cover of another firm, it presented the “Flamingo” missile with the aim of diverting Russia’s attention from the purchase of aircraft engines.

Denis Shtilerman, co-owner and chief designer of the company, spoke about the details during an interview with our correspondent.

Description of the operation and its aim

“This was our special operation, designed to distract the Russians from the mass purchase of AI-25 and AI-25TL aviation engines, which we conducted abroad. So that they would think that this purchase was carried out in the interests of a British-Indian company”– Denis Shtilerman

AI-25 and AI-25TL are Soviet-Ukrainian turbojet aircraft engines manufactured in Zaporizhzhia: developed by the Design Bureau “Progress,” with serial production by the Motor Sich plant.

Such engines were installed on the Yak-40 and the L-39 trainer-attack aircraft, and Fire Point was trying to acquire them for its missiles.

For this, in February 2025, ahead of its presentation in Ukraine, the Flamingo missile was shown at the exhibition in the United Arab Emirates, IDEX-2025, as a product of the foreign Milanion Group. This was noticed at the time by editors of the defense portal.

“We asked through friends to get us a stand, placed a model there, and thus the mass purchase of engines did not raise any suspicion among the Russians. And when they realized, we had already gathered everything that was on the market”– Denis Shtilerman

The overall idea of the operation was to create the impression of a legitimate international deal around the AI-25 and AI-25TL engines, thereby reducing pressure on the supply of critically important components to Russia. However, the legal and regulatory frameworks for exporting engines and related technologies require careful compliance with norms and transparent supply chains.