Washington: US intelligence services discovered earlier this year that Russia was planning to assassinate the chief executive of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, which produces artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine. CNN The plot to kill Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger was part of a series of plans by the Russian government to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe who supported Ukraine’s war effort, the daily reported Thursday, citing five unidentified U.S. and Western officials. CNN.
The United States informed Germany, the report said, adding that German security services were able to protect Papperger.
Rheinmetall said in a statement that “necessary measures are always taken” in regular consultation with safety authorities.
The company is one of the world’s largest producers of artillery shells and tanks. It began ramping up production after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of current President Vladimir Putin, had previously said Russia would retaliate by striking any facility Rheinmetall set up in Ukraine.
The comments come after Rheinmetall announced in May 2023 that it had formed a joint venture with Ukrainian state-owned conglomerate Ukroboronprom to build and repair tanks in Ukraine.
In February, Rheinmetall announced that it also planned to open a munitions plant in Ukraine.
Two months later, Papperger, who has worked at Rheinmetall for 34 years, including more than 11 years as CEO, made headlines when his garden house was set on fire by what the tabloid Bild described as far-left activists. Asked about the report at the NATO summit currently taking place in Washington, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia was waging a hybrid war of aggression, including cyberattacks and infrastructure sabotage.
“This underlines once again that we Europeans must protect ourselves as best we can and not be naive,” she said.
A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry declined to comment on the matter. CNN The report adds that the government generally takes threats posed by the Russian regime very seriously.
“Our security authorities are very vigilant and are acting accordingly, in close cooperation with our international partners,” the spokesman said. “The federal government will not be intimidated by Russian threats. We will continue to do everything in our power to prevent possible threats in Germany.”
Germany’s domestic intelligence service declined to comment.
Published July 11, 2024, 4:11 p.m. IST
