U.S. and Germany dismantle Russian plot to assassinate the CEO of key arms dealer to Ukraine

U.S. and German intelligence services broke up a Russian plot aimed at assassinating Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, a major German arms factory that has been producing artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine.

During a press conference at the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, underlined that "Russia is waging a hybrid war of aggression." In her remarks, Baerbock stressed that recent attacks on people and factories in Europe underscore the need for Europeans to better protect themselves and not fall into complacency.

"We have seen that there have been attacks on people on European territory. We have seen that there have been attacks on factories. And this underlines once again that we as Europeans must protect ourselves as best we can and not be naive," the minister commented without offering additional details on the specific plot.

However, according to sources familiar with the case who spoke to CNN, the operation to disrupt the plot against Papperger began earlier this year, when U.S. intelligence services detected signs of a Russian plot to assassinate the CEO of Rheinmetall. This information was shared with German authorities, who then implemented security measures to counter the threat.

The same sources indicated that the plot against Papperger was part of a series of covert actions by the Kremlin aimed at targeting defense industry leaders in Europe.

A vigilant Germany 

The German Interior Ministry, through a spokesman, said that their"security authorities are very vigilant" and are working in close cooperation with international partners to mitigate future threats.

"The Federal Government will not be intimidated by the Russian threats. We will continue to do everything in our power to prevent possible threats in Germany" the spokesperson assured.

Rheinmetall's role in the war

Armin Papperger became a clear target for Russia because of Rheinmetall's strategic role in the conflict in Ukraine. His company is the leading German producer of 155mm artillery shells, a key component of Ukraine's arsenal during this war.

The company also plans to open a new armored vehicle plant in Ukraine in the coming weeks, a development that intelligence sources say has set off alarms in the Kremlin.

Other Russian threats in Germany

This is not the first time Russia has been linked to assassination plots on German territory. A significant example occurred in 2021, when Vadim N. Krasikov, a Russian FSB agent, was convicted of the murder of a former Chechen separatist in a Berlin park in 2019. This murder, executed in broad daylight, led Germany to take severe measures, including the expulsion of two Russian diplomats, exacerbating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

More recently, in June, Russia was accused of being responsible for a fire at a Diehl metals plant in Berlin, an incident that Western authorities interpreted as part of a broader campaign of sabotage and intrigue by the Kremlin.