This statement seems to have two parts to it, so let's break it down.
1. Former CIA Director and U.S. General, David Petraeus, noted several times in an exclusive interview with UKRINFORM that Ukraine could use help from outside forces because they can't keep up production, specifically,
"'I think the biggest single issue right now, the biggest help we can provide to Ukraine would be if the EU is able to carry out this scheme, if you will, that transforms the 250 to 300 billion dollars of frozen Russian reserves in European banks into Euroclear bonds that can be provided to Ukraine that can enable Ukraine to double its production of all unmanned systems, etc. That would be huge,' Petraeus said."
Furthermore, they would quite frankly run out of money if they attempted to continue down this path of production. Explicitly stated here,
"Looking ahead, he said he expected Russia to gradually exhaust the resources of its National Welfare Fund, while the West continues to crush Russia's war economy and punish those who sustain it by supplying components for its defense industry or purchasing its oil and gas."
- Side investigation to this section, I looked into this website, UKRINFORM, and it is the only national news agency of Ukraine. It was founded in 1918, and has an official presidential decree that the State News Agency of Ukraine (DINAU) is granted national status and is referred to as the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform. This leads me to believe it may be the best credible resource on this topic concerning Ukraine.
- Also, an important note, The Wall Street Journal did post about this issue. However, their version is less disappointed in not being able to produce their own missiles, and instead, appreciative of the Trump Administration for their aid with the strikes. This claim words it as if they stopped promoting the "Flamingo" and aren't "hyped" about it anymore, but that isn't conveyed in the article at all. The claims' wording feels misleading for this topic.
2. Ukraine is definitely producing missiles somehow to strike Russia. While the claim didn't directly state they weren't, it still seemed to insinuate that because they weren't producing their own missiles, there was no retaliation on Ukraine's side, and that's simply not true. As I've already stated, there has been aid offered and reciprocated gratitude.
- Information regarding missiles entering Russia from Ukraine is in the following articles:
From UKRAINSKA PRAVDA,
"Ukraine has started using its domestically produced Flamingo missiles in strikes on Russian territory and is currently manufacturing two to three per day, with plans to scale up to seven daily by the end of October."
And from EMPR Media,
"He confirmed the use of 'Flamingo,' noting that further details fall under the competence of the General Staff. According to him, the confirmed hits more than a thousand kilometers inside Russia and the damage inflicted there indicate the existence of such missiles."
Much of this indicates that the claim above has accurate pieces, but is misleading and could use more information.
Citations:
Ukrinform. “Ukraine’s Use of Flamingo Missiles Could Be Game Changer in This War – Ex-CIA Director.” Ukrinform, Укрінформ, 6 Oct. 2025, www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/4044326-ukraines-use-of-flamingo-missiles-could-be-game-changer-in-this-war-excia-director.html.
Pancevski, Bojan, et al. “US May Provide Ukraine with Intelligence, Possibly Missiles, for Strikes Deep in Russia - WSJ | Allsides.” The Wall Street Journal, 1 Oct. 2025, www.allsides.com/story/ukraine-war-us-provide-ukraine-intelligence-possibly-missiles-strikes-deep-russia.
Mazurenko, Alona. “Ukraine Already Using Flamingo Missiles against Russia, Expected to Produce 7 per Day Soon.” Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainska Pravda, 6 Oct. 2025, www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/10/06/8001422/.
EMPR. “Beyond ‘Flamingo’: Ukraine’s Long-Range Missiles Now Hitting Targets Deep inside Russia.” EMPR.Media, 8 Oct. 2025, empr.media/opinion/analytics/beyond-flamingo-ukraines-long-range-missiles-now-hitting-targets-deep-inside-russia/.
Links:
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/4044326-ukraines-use-of-flamingo-missiles-could-be-game-changer-in-this-war-excia-director.html
https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/u-s-to-provide-ukraine-with-intelligence-for-missile-strikes-deep-inside-russia-ca7b2276?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAjdCXs9yF354wzaElzhGM6auVEeAoMFKPF6o5Haa-dCA_dbaTw8A4PK6T1652s%3D&gaa_ts=68e754e8&gaa_sig=t3a6ruudXHb3jd89G3-4mPZLeErlCXBtQcSIw5WlHBqFJpOgJgHnQTasw6MiFdPEyIfffngpo_pb0qMgGW2Irw%3D%3D
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/10/06/8001422/
https://empr.media/opinion/analytics/beyond-flamingo-ukraines-long-range-missiles-now-hitting-targets-deep-inside-russia/
