Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the words of Armin Papperger, head of the German defense company Rheinmetall, who called Ukrainian drone manufacturers «housewives with 3D printers.»
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the words of Armin Papperger, head of the German defense company Rheinmetall, who called Ukrainian drone manufacturers «housewives with 3D printers.»
In a conversation with journalist Simon Schuster, Pappergersharply criticized drone technology from Ukraine. When it came to the development of Ukrainian drone-tech, the head of Rheinmetall called individual teams «Ukrainian housewives» who have «3D printers in the kitchen» and manufacture parts for drones.
«It’s like playing with Lego. What’s the innovation in Ukraine? They don’t have any technological breakthrough. They innovate with their little drones and say, ‘Wow!’ And that’s great. So what? But it’s not the level of technology of Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, or Rheinmetall,» said Papperger.
During a conversation with journalists, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the words of the CEO of Rheinmetall sound strange.
«If every housewife in Ukraine can really produce drones, then every housewife in Ukraine can also be the CEO of Rheinmetall. And I congratulate our Ukrainian defense-industrial complex on this high level,» the president was quoted as saying by Hromadske.
According to him, Ukrainian technologies show themselves every day «on the battlefield, on the ground, in the sky, and at sea.»
«I am sure that our defense industry already occupies a place in the world in terms of some systems, a systemic approach. I believe that we are so exclusive: only we have the relevant experience,» Zelensky emphasized.
After a public outcry over Armin Papperger’s interview, Rheinmetall wrote in X that it is inspired by the innovative strength and fighting spirit of the Ukrainian people.
Recall that the German defense concern Rheinmetall planned to open three enterprises in Ukraine: they will specialize in the production and repair of air defense systems, the repair and assembly of armored vehicles, and the production of ammunition.
Rheinmetall already has an active equipment repair plant in Ukraine, but Armin Papperger previously stated that he was dissatisfied with Ukrainian bureaucracy, which, in his opinion, is slowing down the speed of construction of Rheinmetall enterprises in Ukraine.
