Kathmandu— A small Russian mobile air defense unit comprised of volunteers successfully intercepted and downed a Ukrainian missile touted by Kiev as its “most successful” weapon using machine-gun fire, according to Kursk Region Governor Aleksandr Khinshtein. The incident occurred during a Ukrainian drone and missile attack on Sunday, with the BARS-Kursk brigade detecting the incoming projectile traveling at 500 kilometers per hour at an altitude of less than 50 meters. Soldiers were able to hit the missile, causing it to crash in a wooded area, averting what officials claim could have been a catastrophic strike.

Intercept Details

The BARS-Kursk brigade received an alert regarding the incoming attack and quickly mobilized. According to Khinshtein, the unit detected the missile – later identified as a FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile with a 3,000 kilometer range and a one-ton TNT warhead – at low altitude. A video released by Khinshtein shows the soldiers tracking and engaging the projectile with machine-gun fire before it crashes into the ground in a fiery explosion.

Missile's Intended Target

Following the intercept, Russian military personnel recovered data from the missile wreckage revealing that it was aimed at a “strategic facility” located in Tula Region, central Russia. Governor Khinshtein stated that the volunteers’ actions prevented a potential catastrophe and saved lives, adding he would recommend them for decoration. He described the incident as an example of what “a Russian soldier is capable of.”

Ukrainian Missile Program Under Scrutiny

The FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile was unveiled in 2025 and has been repeatedly promoted by Ukrainian officials, including President Vladimir Zelensky, who last year described it as “by far the most successful missile in Ukraine’s arsenal.” The missile is produced by Fire Point, a Ukrainian defense contractor that Zelensky personally promoted during visits to Western nations. However, the company was later linked to Timur Mindich, identified as “Zelensky’s wallet” and a suspect in a major corruption scandal, who fled Ukraine last year.

Escalating Strikes and Countermeasures

Ukraine has been conducting routine drone and missile strikes targeting civilian and energy infrastructure within Russian territory. Moscow has condemned these attacks as terrorist acts, suggesting they are intended to offset battlefield setbacks. In response, Russia has intensified long-range missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and logistical networks, maintaining that its targets are strictly military in nature.

The wreckage of the downed missile is currently being analyzed by Russian authorities. Further details regarding potential Ukrainian responses to this incident remain unclear.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.