US, Germany Thwart Russian Plot to Assassinate Rheinmetall CEO
US and German security services have successfully thwarted a Russian plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, the CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. The plan, discovered by US intelligence, was part of a broader Russian strategy to target defense industry executives across Europe who are supporting Ukraine's war effort. Following the discovery, German authorities were alerted and provided special protection to Papperger.
Rheinmetall is a key supplier of artillery shells and military vehicles to Ukraine and is involved in a joint venture to service and repair Western-supplied weapons. This assassination attempt is part of Russia's ongoing sabotage campaign aimed at disrupting the flow of Western weapons to Ukraine and diminishing public support for Kyiv. Both the US and German authorities have declined to comment on the specifics of the plot, while the Kremlin has dismissed the claims as unfounded.
