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Rheinmetall plans to open at least 4 plants in Ukraine

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Rheinmetall plans to open at least 4 plants in Ukraine
An employee works on the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle in Rheinmetall's production facility on June 6, 2023. (Philipp Schulze/picture alliance via Getty Images)

German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall plans to set up at least four factories in Ukraine to produce artillery shells, military vehicles, gunpowder, and anti-aircraft weapons, the AFP reported on March 14.

This could present a boost for Ukrainian defense production amid ammunition shortages and dwindling supplies from the U.S.

"Ukraine is now an important partner for us, where we see a potential of between 2 and 3 billion euros ($2.18-$3.27 billion) per year," Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said during a presentation of the company's 2023 results, the AFP wrote.

Previously, the company signed a contract with the Ukrainian Defense Industry (Ukroboronprom) in October 2023 to repair and produce armored vehicles directly in Ukraine in a joint plant.

During the Munich Security Conference in February, Papperger signed a memorandum of intent with Ukraine's Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin to produce artillery shells in another joint plant based in Ukraine.

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Martin Fornusek

Senior News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

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