Rheinmetall wants to maintain military vehicles and build tanks with a Ukrainian arms company - a joint company has now been founded for this purpose.
Düsseldorf/Kiev - The German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has founded a joint venture with the Ukrainian state-owned company Ukroboronprom. Representatives of both sides have signed a cooperation agreement to this effect. The joint venture is to repair military vehicles and, in the future, also build tanks itself - this could make it an important support for Ukraine in defense against the Russian war of aggression.
According to the manufacturer Rheinmetall, the KF51 Panther is "the most modern main battle tank" in the world © Julian Stratenschulte/dpa
Rheinmetall wants to repair military vehicles and build tanks in Ukraine
The joint venture between Rheinmetall and Ukroboronprom is scheduled to start work in mid-July this year, according to the German arms company. Only recently, Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger announced at the armaments company's annual general meeting that he wanted to establish new factories for arms production in Ukraine in cooperation with the Ukrainian state. In addition to ammunition and anti-aircraft defense, Rheinmetall's Panther main battle tank is also to be manufactured there. The armaments company advertises it as the "most modern main battle tank".
The joint venture now established between Rheinmetall and Ukroboronprom will initially repair armored military vehicles provided to Ukraine through ring exchange projects by the German government as well as through direct deliveries, Rheinmetall said in a press release. Later, selected Rheinmetall products will also be jointly manufactured in Ukraine. Rheinmetall speaks of a comprehensive technology transfer. German and Ukrainian specialists could later develop new military systems and export them from Ukraine, according to the German arms company.
Rheinmetall cooperates with Ukrainian armaments company
The Ukrainian state-owned company Ukroboronprom employs around 65,000 people and is active, among other things, in the manufacture and maintenance of armored vehicles, missiles and artillery, as well as in aircraft construction. The concern consists of various enterprises of the Ukrainian defense industry. However, it is facing major modernization tasks, as Die Welt reported – because it does not seem to work very efficiently. Rheinmetall, for example, with only around 25,500 employees, generated sales of 2022.6 billion euros in 4, six times that of the Ukrainian state-owned company.
However, Ukroboronprom also seems to be struggling with considerable damage from the Ukraine war. Nevertheless, according to statements by its general director, Yuriy Husyev, the company has recently been able to increase the production of military equipment and armored vehicles despite numerous Russian missile attacks. Husyev was delighted with the new cooperation with Rheinmetall: "Together with Rheinmetall at our side, we will be able to achieve even more for our country. We are grateful to Rheinmetall for its willingness to help us against Russia's aggression. We will do our best to make this cooperation usable for the Defense Forces of Ukraine as soon as possible," he said.
Reforms to modernize the Ukrainian defense concern were initiated back in the summer of 2021 - the umbrella corporation is being transformed into the new state-owned joint-stock company "Ukrainian Defense Industry". Rheinmetall wants to hold a majority stake of 51 percent in the new joint venture and also take over the entrepreneurial leadership - the management is to come from Rheinmetall. CEO Papperger was also pleased with the cooperation: "It is a central concern of ours at Rheinmetall to support our Ukrainian partners in the fight for freedom and democracy and to meet their urgent needs as quickly as possible," he said. (kasa/AFP)