The US foiled a Russian plot to kill the CEO of Germany's top arms manufacturer, which supplied arms to Ukraine.
The revelation that Russia was willing to resort to the assassination of private individuals underscored Moscow's commitment to the West's covert shadow war.
In a shocking revelation, US intelligence services have successfully foiled a Russian plot to assassinate the CEO of Germany's top arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall. The plan was believed to be a retaliatory move by Russia due to the company's significant role in supplying arms to Ukraine. The disturbing incident highlights the growing tensions surrounding Ukraine's war effort. The plot, which targeted Rheinmetall CEO Armin Pepperger, was one of several planned by the Russian government to alienate defense industry executives across Europe who were helping Ukraine. According to reports, the plan to kill Peppergar was the most advanced of the various plots identified by US and Western officials.
Upon uncovering the imminent threat, US officials immediately alerted their German counterparts, which increased security measures around the Papperger and Rheinmetall facilities.
For more than six months, Russia has been conducting a sophisticated sabotage campaign across Europe, primarily through proxy agents. The campaign has included everything from arson at warehouses with supplies destined for Ukraine to acts of sabotage aimed at undermining public support for Kiev, CNN reported.
The revelation that Russia was willing to resort to the assassination of private individuals underscored Moscow's commitment to the West's covert shadow war. According to CNN, Rheinmetall's pivotal role as Germany's leading manufacturer of 155mm artillery pieces, crucial to Ukraine's protracted conflict, made Armin Pepperger a prime target. In addition, Rheinmetall is set to inaugurate an armored vehicle plant in Ukraine in the coming weeks, a move that will seriously upset Russian interests.
Despite initial gains, Russia's military efforts in Ukraine have recently stalled due to resilient Ukrainian defenses and significant personnel losses. These previously unknown assassination plots highlight NATO's increasingly urgent warnings about the gravity of Russia's sabotage campaign. Some senior NATO officials are concerned that these activities could escalate into an armed conflict in Eastern Europe, the report said.
“We are seeing vandalism, we are seeing assassination plots, we are seeing arson. We are seeing things that cost human lives,” a senior NATO official told a news conference. “I strongly believe that we are seeing a campaign of covert sabotage activity from Russia that has strategic implications. “The National Security Council (NSC) declined to comment on the specifics of the Russian plot and its foiling by US-German cooperation. However, NSC spokeswoman Adrienne Watson acknowledged that “Russia's aggressive campaign of subversion is something we take very seriously and have focused on for the past several months.”
“The United States continues to discuss this issue with our NATO allies, and we are actively working together to expose and disrupt these activities,” she said. “We have also made it clear that Russia's actions will not deter allies from supporting Ukraine.” The German embassy in Washington declined to comment on the incident, while CNN sought a response from the Russian embassy in Washington, which remained unavailable. Comment.
A spokesman for Rheinmetall, Oliver Hoffmann, declined to discuss details but assured, “Safety measures are always taken in consultation with law enforcement authorities.” Russia's sabotage campaign has dominated discussion among NATO officials gathered in Washington for the alliance's 75th anniversary. NATO has intensified efforts to increase intelligence sharing among member nations to better connect the dots between seemingly separate criminal activities in their respective countries.
(with input from ANI)