US and Germany foiled Russian plot to kill CEO of arms manufacturer Rheinmetall
- Alleged plot was one of a series of Russian plans to kill defence executives in Europe whose companies were supplying Ukraine
US and German security services foiled a Russian plot to assassinate the chief executive officer of Rheinmetall, a German arms manufacturer producing weapons for Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said.
US intelligence officials who uncovered the scheme informed German security services, which thwarted it, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger was given special protection as a result.
The plot against such a prominent figure marks a major escalation in what the US and its allies say has been a stepped-up campaign of so-called “hybrid warfare” – assassinations, cyberattacks, sabotage and other actions – by Russia in the more than three years since President Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine.
It was one of a series of Russian plans to kill defence executives in Europe whose companies were supplying Ukraine, according to CNN, which first reported on the assassination plan. The effort to target the Rheinmetall chief “was the most mature,” according to the report.
US officials declined to comment on the specifics of the plot or confirm its existence. But intelligence officials on the continent have warned that Russian spy agencies have adopted more aggressive tactics, and Germany’s interior ministry said German counter-intelligence prevented sabotage attempts aimed at military support for Ukraine.
