Claims that Russia conspired to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall – one of Europe’s largest arms producers, have been dismissed by Moscow. These allegations, reported by prominent US media, suggested a plot to target Papperger who leads a company that supplies arms to Ukraine, a country Germany and other European nations have backed against Russian aggression. However, Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, referred to these reports as baseless and dismissed them as ‘fake news’.
The US intelligence had reportedly discovered the plot and forewarned Germany, allowing protective measures to be put in place for Papperger. CNN, citing knowledgeable western and American officials, stated that this plot was one of many that Russia had allegedly developed to target European defence industry leaders who support Ukraine’s military cause.
Germany’s Minister for Interior Affairs, Nancy Faeser, relayed Berlin’s determined stance against the Russian threat, stating the country would not be daunted by Moscow’s aggression, which spanned from spying and cyber-attacks to terrorism. Faeser assured that Germany would exert every effort to combat these threats.
Mr. Papperger, who apparently now enjoys a level of security equivalent to that of German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz according to an unnamed source, acknowledged that Berlin had indeed heightened his personal security.
Rheinmetall, well-known for its large-scale production of shell and other artillery ammunition, has ramped up production since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The company has also formed a partnership with a state-owned Ukrainian arms company to construct and mend tanks in Ukraine and has plans to inaugurate an ammunition factory in the country.
“Russia is instigating a mixed-methods conflict,” stated Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign affairs minister. “It’s evident from the assaults on humans within European borders and factory invasions. This underlines the need for us, Europeans, to guard ourselves and avoid being too trusting.”
[Ukraine draws on prisons and Poland to enhance military manningOpens in new tab]
Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, expressed that Russia is leading a “series” of sabotage operations, internet warfare, fires and multiple kinds of assaults against member states “in an effort to discourage NATO allies from backing Ukraine.”
The statements from Mr. Stoltenberg coincide with the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations general assembly, which urges Russia to “swiftly pull back its military forces and other unapproved personnel” from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station and restore control to Kyiv.
Early in 2022, Russian soldiers took control of the nuclear power station – the largest of its kind in Europe – claiming they are defending it from Ukrainian onslaughts.