US and Germany foil Russian assassination plot

The plot to kill Armin Papperger was one of a series of Russian plans to assassinate defense industry executives, CNN reported

(Image credit: Ronny Hartmann / AFP via Getty Images)

By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK

published 12 July 2024

What happened

The U.S. and Germany have reportedly thwarted a Russian plot to kill the CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, which has been producing shells and tanks for Ukraine.

The plot to kill Armin Papperger (pictured above) was one of a series of Russian plans to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe, according to five U.S. and Western officials who spoke anonymously to CNN.

Russian military intelligence has carried out a "series of arsons aimed at disrupting the supply of weapons and other materiel to Ukraine," said The New York Times. But the assassination plot was a significant escalation, officials said. "Russia's intensifying campaign of subversion is something that we are taking extremely seriously," said U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson in a statement.

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Arion McNicoll is a freelance writer at The Week Digital and was previously the UK website’s editor. He has also held senior editorial roles at CNN, The Times and The Sunday Times. Along with his writing work, he co-hosts “Today in History with The Retrospectors”, Rethink Audio’s flagship daily podcast, and is a regular panellist (and occasional stand-in host) on “The Week Unwrapped”. He is also a judge for The Publisher Podcast Awards.