The German arms concern Rheinmetall has responded to the threats of the Russian authorities to consider the concern's future plant in Ukraine a "legitimate target" of the Russian Federation. CEO Armin Papperger said that Rheinmetall will be able to protect its plant in Ukraine from Russian attacks.

According to him, there are "effective options" for this. Papperger said this in an interview with Bild.

Papperger said that he was not abandoning his plans to set up a plant in Ukraine and also plans to protect it from attacks with the help of air defence systems of his own production.

In addition, Rheinmetall is involved "together with its partner company Ukroboronprom, which already has a large number of sites in the country".

He emphasised that Rheinmetall's key task is to support Ukrainian partners in the fight against the Russian occupiers.

"For us at Rheinmetall, the key task is to support our Ukrainian partners in the fight for freedom and democracy and to meet their urgent needs as soon as possible," said the Rheinmetall CEO.

It is worth noting that at a briefing on 20 July, Zakharova said that the armoured vehicle plant that Rheinmetall plans to open in Ukraine is a "legitimate target" for Russia.

Earlier, Papperger said that the plant would start operating in October 2023. The company will operate in the western part of the country and will not only produce tanks and other armoured vehicles, but also train Ukrainians to maintain them.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, Rheinmetall is also working on the creation of a service centre for military equipment that is being transferred to Ukraine as part of military aid from Western countries. The centre will be located in Romania, Ukraine's neighbour.

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