Russian assassins were hunting down the CEO of Germany’s largest arms manufacturer – and his new security detail rivals that of Germany’s chancellor.
At a Glance
- Russian operatives plotted to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, Germany’s largest arms manufacturer
- The plot was discovered and disrupted by U.S. intelligence agencies who alerted German authorities
- Rheinmetall is Europe’s largest ammunition producer, supplying critical 155mm artillery rounds and armored vehicles to Ukraine
- Papperger now has security protection rivaling that of Germany’s chancellor
- Russia is conducting a broader sabotage campaign across Europe targeting defense industry infrastructure and officials
Russian Assassination Plot Foiled
Leave it to Vladimir Putin to try solving his battlefield problems with assassination squads. When conventional warfare fails, just murder the CEOs of companies arming your enemies, right? That’s apparently Moscow’s brilliant strategy after U.S. and German authorities foiled a Russian plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. The plot against Papperger wasn’t some half-baked scheme either – intelligence officials noted it was significantly more advanced than other threats against European defense industry leaders. It seems Putin’s hit squads were getting serious about silencing the man whose company keeps Ukrainian artillery firing.
Watch coverage of the assassination plot against Rheinmetall’s CEO.
Remember when Russia claimed it was the West “escalating” the conflict? I guess sending assassins to murder German executives is just a friendly diplomatic gesture from the Kremlin. U.S. intelligence agencies discovered the plot and immediately alerted German authorities, demonstrating yet again how Putin’s regime can’t sneeze without Western intelligence noticing. This revelation comes amid warnings from NATO and U.S. officials about Russia’s broader campaign to disrupt Western arms deliveries to Ukraine – apparently through sabotage, assassination, and other covert operations straight from the Soviet playbook.
Why Putin Wants This CEO Dead
It’s not hard to figure out why Rheinmetall’s CEO wound up on Putin’s hit list. The company is Europe’s largest producer of ammunition, pumping out those precious 155mm artillery rounds that have been wreaking havoc on Russian forces. They’ve also been supplying armored vehicles to Ukraine and recently announced plans to produce Lynx infantry fighting vehicles and artillery ammunition inside Ukraine itself. Nothing says “we’re here for the long haul” quite like building arms factories in the country you’re helping defend. For a desperate dictator watching his invasion stall, Papperger represents everything that’s keeping Ukrainian resistance alive.
“Russia’s intensifying campaign of subversion is something that we are taking extremely seriously and have been intently focused on over the past few months. The United States has been discussing this issue with our NATO Allies, and we are actively working together to expose and disrupt these activities. We have also been clear that Russia’s actions will not deter Allies from continuing to support Ukraine,” a U.S. official told NBC News.
The German government’s response has been predictably measured – they’ve beefed up Papperger’s security to levels normally reserved for the chancellor while issuing diplomatic statements. Meanwhile, Rheinmetall continues supplying the weapons that help Ukraine resist Russian aggression. The company’s spokesperson Oliver Hoffman noted that “the necessary measures are always taken in regular consultation with the security authorities.” That’s corporate-speak for “our CEO now travels with an armored convoy and enough security personnel to invade a small country.” The price of helping defend freedom in Europe, it seems, is living with a target on your back.
Russia’s Broader Campaign of Sabotage
The attempt on Papperger’s life is just one piece of Russia’s broader campaign of sabotage across Europe. Putin’s operatives have been targeting railways, military bases, and other critical infrastructure in what appears to be a desperate attempt to slow Western support for Ukraine. It’s the geopolitical equivalent of a child flipping the game board when they’re losing – if you can’t win by the rules, just try to break everything. NATO is now planning to impose more restrictions on Russian intelligence agents and boost security for key infrastructure, though one might wonder what took them so long given Russia’s long history of state-sponsored terrorism.
“What we can say very clearly … is that we are taking the significantly increased threat posed by Russian aggression very seriously, we are acting together with our international partners and the security authorities of the federal states to protect our country and to thwart Putin’s plans. We know that Putin’s regime wants to intervene, above all, in our support of Ukraine in its defense against the Russian war of aggression, but the German government will not allow itself to be intimidated,” a German government spokesperson told NBC News.
The irony is that every failed assassination attempt, every exposed sabotage plot, only strengthens Western resolve and unity. Putin’s desperation is showing, and it’s not a good look for a supposed superpower. Instead of driving wedges between Ukraine’s supporters, these covert attacks are bringing them closer together. The fact that the CEO of Germany’s largest arms manufacturer now requires protection rivaling that of Germany’s head of government speaks volumes about the threat landscape – and about how determined the Western alliance is to not back down in the face of Putin’s thuggish tactics.
