Russian Plot To Kill German Weapns Mfr. But US Finds Out
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the New York Times, Source
American intelligence agencies uncovered a Russian plot to kill the chief executive of a German weapons manufacturer, according to multiple Western officials, as Moscow steps up a campaign to undermine support for Ukraine’s war effort.
The United States warned Germany about the plot, and German officials increased protection for Armin Papperger, who leads Rheinmetall, which makes artillery shells and tanks that Ukraine has used in its war against Russia.
This year, Russian military intelligence has carried out a series of arsons aimed at disrupting the supply of weapons and other materials to Ukraine, prompting the expulsion of undercover spies and warnings from NATO. The assassination plot is a significant escalation, officials said, representing a more concerted covert effort to deter Western companies from producing supplies for Ukraine.
A senior Western intelligence official said that the threats were flagged this past spring. Mr. Papperger was the only defense industry figure who was targeted by name or for whom the Russians appeared to have developed an advanced plan for the assassination, officials said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Russian operation.
The senior Western intelligence official said the plan was advanced to the point where Mr. Papperger had taken protective measures. The official said other threats that targeted European defense industry officials were more vague.
The plot, and the U.S. efforts to disrupt it, were earlier reported by CNN.
American, German, and NATO officials would not comment on specifics of the plot, but they denounced Moscow’s sabotage and hybrid-style attacks in Europe.
Russia has intensified its “campaign of subversion,” said Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, adding that the United States has been discussing the covert attacks with its NATO allies.
“We are actively working together to expose and disrupt these activities,” Ms. Watson said. “We have also been clear that Russia’s actions will not deter allies from continuing to support Ukraine.”
The purpose of the Russian covert campaign is to intimidate the alliance from supporting Ukraine, said Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general.
“We see a Russian attempt to intimidate us from providing support, but we see that it has, if anything, the opposite effect on NATO allies,” he said. “They’re actually stepping up their support for Ukraine.”
Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, said Russia was “waging a hybrid war of aggression.”
“We have seen that there have been attacks on people on European territory, on factories,” Ms. Baerbock said in Washington, where she was attending the NATO summit. “This again underlines that we as Europeans must protect ourselves in the best possible way together.”
While the United States learned about the specific Russian plot this spring, a German official said that Mr. Papperger has had police security for more than a year.
The threat level at American bases was raised this month after the Kremlin issued vague threats about consequences for Ukraine using U.S.-made missiles to strike in occupied Crimea and at military bases in Russia. While related to the concerns about sabotage, the threat level was not connected to the plot against Mr. Papperger, according to the senior Western intelligence official.
A spokesman for Rheinmetall declined to comment.
Last year, Rheinmetall and a Ukrainian state-owned defense company set up a joint venture to begin building tanks and producing munitions in Ukraine.
The authorities in Moscow responded to the announcement of the plan by saying that such a factory would be a legitimate target, but Mr. Papperger, who has been strident in his support for Ukraine, insisted that would not stop him.
“We will not be dissuaded from our help for the country,” he told German newspaper Bild at the time.
Steven Erlanger in Washington, Sarah Nir and Melissa Eddy in Berlin, and Michael Schwirtz contributed reporting.
Julian E. Barnes covers the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The Times. He has written about security issues for more than two decades. More about Julian E. Barnes
Lara Jakes, based in Rome, reports on diplomatic and military efforts by the West to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. She has been a journalist for nearly 30 years. More about Lara Jakes
Christopher F. Schuetze is a reporter for The Times based in Berlin, covering politics, society, and culture in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. More about Christopher F. Schuetze
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