Remarks by Armin Papperger, chief executive of German defence company Rheinmetall, sparked widespread anger in Ukraine after he downplayed Ukrainian innovation in drone manufacturing and likened some producers there to children playing with Lego and housewives printing parts in their kitchens.
Detail
The remarks came in a press interview about Ukraine’s growing use of drones in the war with Russia, where Papperger mocked the trend even though Kyiv is widely seen as one of the leading actors to develop this type of weapon during the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hit back with sharp sarcasm, saying that if every Ukrainian housewife is truly capable of producing drones, then she is also capable of running Rheinmetall, and calling on the company to compete through results, not rhetoric.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko also criticised the comments, saying Europe’s defence also depends on the efforts of Ukrainian women working in this sector, while other Ukrainian officials stressed that women play a direct role inside military factories and deserve respect.
As the backlash widened, Rheinmetall issued a clarification on its official X account, affirming its full respect for the efforts of the Ukrainian people and for the role of both men and women in defending the country.
What next?
The episode puts Rheinmetall under political and media pressure at a time when it is one of Europe’s leading arms suppliers to Ukraine, making any tension with Kyiv potentially costly for the company at a sensitive moment.
