Russian plot to assassinate Rheinmetall CEO uncovered by intelligence agencies
Russia reportedly had plans to assassinate Armin Papperger, the head of the German defense giant Rheinmetall, due to dissatisfaction with Western arms supplies to Ukraine, revealed Papperger himself in a discussion with the news agency BNS.
“It's quite obvious that countries like Russia aren't very happy. We are the world's largest producer of large-caliber ammunition and assist Western nations in defending themselves," he stated. Currently, the safety of Rheinmetall's head is being secured by police forces.
The purported plans were intercepted by US and German intelligence agencies as part of Russia's broader attempts to target defense industry leaders across Europe. James Appathurai, NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber Technologies, confirmed the assassination attempt by Russian operatives on Papperger . He detailed how NATO has observed acts of sabotage over the past two years, aimed at diversions, attacks on politicians' properties, and plots to murder defense industry heads, including Papperger. Factory workers were reportedly recruited online to help carry out these plans.
“Our regions need a military mentality, especially since all our countries are under a continuous and escalating campaign of destabilization,” Appathurai concluded.