Location of Rheinmetall plant in Ukraine has already been determined, - CEO Papperger
The location for the construction of an ammunition production plant in Ukraine has already been determined.
This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, as reported by Censor.NET.
What is known?
Rheinmetall has received an order to supply Ukraine with equipment for an ammunition production plant. Rheinmetall is fulfilling these obligations.
Although the search for a suitable location has been postponed, it has already been allocated to us. However, further organizational and regulatory issues still need to be clarified. We are ready to start construction of the facility as soon as possible," he explained.
According to Papperger, cooperation between Ukraine and Rheinmetall is progressing well.
"We are grateful to be such an important industrial partner for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in many areas, including artillery ammunition, infantry fighting vehicles, air defense systems, space reconnaissance, and mobile field hospitals—and these are just a few of them," he added.
What is known about the construction of a shell manufacturing plant in Ukraine
As reported, in early 2024, German defense contractor Rheinmetall announced plans to build an artillery ammunition factory in Ukraine. In the summer of that year, the company received an order from the Ukrainian government to build the factory.
The plant was scheduled to start operating in 2026. However, since early 2025, Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger has been complaining about delays in the project due to bureaucracy in Ukraine. He noted that the company's plants in Germany are being built faster than in Ukraine.
In August this year, Papperger stated that he was dissatisfied with the pace of the project's implementation in Ukraine due to the high level of bureaucracy. At that time, he noted that projects in Germany and Ukraine began to be implemented at approximately the same time, but the German plant is already ready.
After that, the Ukrainian government allocated land for the construction of a new Rheinmetall plant, Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said in September, a year and a half after the construction plans were publicly announced.
