Rheinmetall, a well-known German arms manufacturer and engineering concern, is building a plant in Ukraine, and the realisation of this is causing some in the Kremlin to feel a lot of pain. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger announced this decision more than a week ago, and the Russian Foreign Ministry has been gathering its thoughts all this time to finally speak out and threaten the German company.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that if the Rheinmetall armour plant is built, it will become a legitimate target for Russia, just like other objects of Ukraine’s defence complex (i.e. Russia means – just like residential buildings, schools and utilities).
But this is not the first time that Russia has threatened Rheinmetall with bombing the German company’s tank plant. Previously, Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia would be looking forward to the plant and threatened to bomb Calibre. Armin Pappeger is apparently not too worried about Zakharova and Medvedev’s statements, and has responded that he will protect the plant from attacks with the air defence equipment that the concern produces.
Earlier, we wrote that Rheinmetall is building a production facility in Ukraine together with the Ukrainian state-owned company Ukroboronprom and will hold a majority stake in the joint venture. The production line in Ukraine will produce ammunition, and employees will build and repair Fuchs armoured personnel carriers and battle tanks under licence. The plant is expected to eventually produce up to 400 battle tanks a year.
Announcing the new project, Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said: “It is a key objective for us at Rheinmetall to support our Ukrainian partners in their fight for freedom and democracy and to meet their urgent needs as soon as possible.”
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