ALBAWABA- The US and Germany thwarted a Russian plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, a key German arms manufacturer supplying Ukraine.
US intelligence uncovered the scheme, which was part of a broader Russian campaign targeting defense executives across Europe.
Upon learning of the threat, the US alerted Germany, enabling its security services to protect Papperger and prevent the assassination.
Russia's sabotage efforts, including attacks on Western arms supplies and recruitment of local operatives for arson and vandalism, aim to disrupt support for Ukraine.
This plot is one among several Russian attempts to disrupt the flow of Western arms to Ukraine and undermine public support for Kyiv.
Over the past six months, Russia has been conducting a sabotage campaign across Europe, often through local proxies. These actions range from arson attacks on warehouses linked to arms for Ukraine to petty acts of vandalism.
The foiled assassination underscores the lengths to which Moscow is willing to go in its covert campaign against Western support for Ukraine. NATO officials have expressed increasing concern over Russia's aggressive tactics, which include not only sabotage but also potential lethal actions against private citizens.
This has raised difficult questions about how the alliance should respond, particularly given the implications of Article 5, which treats an armed attack on one NATO member as an attack on all.
