Germany provided protection to the leader of the defense giant
Rheinmetall's CEO Armin Papperger is one of the targets of Russian special services, reports Bloomberg. This became known when US intelligence shared information with German colleagues about an assassination attempt against him, and in April 2024, unknown malicious actors set fire to Papperger's garden house. Ultimately, German investigators found no evidence of involvement in the arson or the planned attack and closed the case. However, long before these events, the government covertly increased Papperger's protection to the level of the Chancellor.
Today, Papperger is surrounded by security 24/7. Two armed guards with machine guns patrol near Rheinmetall's headquarters in Düsseldorf, supported by two police vans. His house is also guarded by two police officers with machine guns, a police van, and a police booth.
A number of guards constantly accompany him to lunch or meetings, and when Papperger goes to negotiations, he is provided with an armored convoy without identification marks. These extensive security measures have protected Papperger from any potential attackers.
Rheinmetall, a manufacturer of a wide range of military equipment—from ammunition to Leopard tanks—has become one of Ukraine's main arms suppliers. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the company's value has increased 18 times—to €81 billion.
