German concern Rheinmetall plans to build at least 4 weapons plants in Ukraine

Le Monde reported the information.

It is stated that the construction of factories for the production of rounds, military equipment, gunpowder and anti-aircraft weapons is in question.

"Ukraine is now an important partner for us, and we see a potential of two to three billion euros (in sales - ed.) per year," Papperger said. 

According to Papperger, in the medium term, Rheinmetall plans to produce a total of 1.1 million 155 mm shells at all its facilities to strengthen its position as a global leader in this industry.

The projectile plant in Ukraine will not be built from scratch, the businessman told DW.

"We are using the existing infrastructure so that we don't spend a lot of time on building. Ukraine doesn't have time, they are at war, they need to move quickly," Papperger said.

According to him, the first shells could roll off the assembly line in Ukraine in 15 months.

At the same time, the businessman admitted that the construction of a new shell plant in Germany could have been completed a year earlier, but at the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Rheinmetall did not receive large orders from the German government that would have justified the €300 million investment. Now the situation has changed, and Berlin plans to order more than 2 million artillery shells, the concern's CEO said. Currently, Rheinmetall supplies "hundreds of thousands" of shells of various calibers to Ukraine.

The CEO of Rheinmetall also mentioned that Ukraine currently lacks permission from the German government to produce main battle tanks. Instead, the decision has been made to initiate production of light and medium armored vehicles first, with plans to advance to heavy ones later on. Additionally, Rheinmetall intends to establish production of its air defense systems in Ukraine in the future.

For reference: Rheinmetall is one of the world's largest producers of artillery and tank shells. The company began to increase production after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

• On February 17, the German military-industrial company Rheinmetall announced plans to open an ammunition plant in Ukraine as part of a joint venture with a Ukrainian partner.