AntAC head Shabunin urges greater state control of Fire Point
FP-5 Flamingo missile (Photo: Defense Express)
The government should oversee and tightly control exactly how
defense contractor Fire
Point is using state funding, making sure the company focuses on
manufacturing weapons, Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action
Center (AntAC), told
NV Radio on May 27.
Shabunin said Fire Point has managed only three successful test launches of its Flamingo cruise missiles, even though the company’s chief designer and owner, Denys Shtilerman, had promised to begin serial production in 2025. He also noted that Shtilerman once held Russian citizenship, which was revoked in 2016 and which Shtilerman contested that year, according to documents.
Shabunin said Fire Point won what he called a monopoly on state funding for missile production despite Shtilerman’s shady reputation.
“They tell us, ‘Well, he cheated Russia,” Shabunin said.
“OK — why am I supposed to be convinced that he won’t also cheat Ukraine? I’m not asserting that he will, but his past and current document irregularities at least raise that suspicion.”
Shabunin said he is not calling for the state to claw back the money already paid to Fire Point, but he argued that future funds should be given to other companies.
“Our money is already in Fire Point; getting it out — I haven’t seen the financial documents, but I assume it’s already impossible,” he said.
“We must make sure these funds aren’t cashed out — whether through outside investors or to [fugitive businessman Tymur] Mindich or Shtilerman — and are instead invested in the promised production. The state should at least take control.”
He outlined a range of options, from nationalization and reallocating ownership stakes to foreign partners, to operational financial oversight by counterintelligence or the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Shabunin added that he would not oppose further funding for Fire Point if there were clear, guaranteed results.
“What has been invested must be monitored to the last
penny,” he said. “This isn’t about punishing anyone — it’s about making sure
the missiles finally materialize.”
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