Janice R. Andrews
NATO officials have disclosed that Russian operatives planned to assassinate Armin Papperger, the CEO of German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall, in a plot discovered and prevented last year. The revelation came from NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber, James Appathurai.
Rheinmetall, a key supplier of large-caliber ammunition for Ukraine’s defense efforts, became a target in what appears to be Russia’s broader campaign against Western military support. Papperger addressed the situation directly, noting that Russian opposition to his company’s role in Western defense was expected.
According to Appathurai, Russian intelligence services employed a strategy of recruiting various individuals, including criminals, young people, and migrants, as unwitting participants in their operations. This tactic was reportedly designed to maintain deniability. The assassination attempt fits into a larger pattern of Russian sabotage activities across NATO territories, including attacks on rail infrastructure, arson incidents, and targeting politicians’ properties.
In response to the threat, German security services have implemented protective measures for Papperger. While this specific plot was prevented, NATO officials caution that Russia continues its efforts to undermine European stability through espionage and sabotage operations.
The incident highlights the escalating tensions between Russia and Western defense industries supporting Ukraine. NATO officials view this as part of Moscow’s ongoing strategy to weaken Western support through covert operations.
