07:28 Rheinmetall-CEO: Russian wear-and-tear war may last forever
The Rheinmetall Board Chairman Armin Papperger believes that the war in Ukraine is likely to last for a long time. The ongoing war damages the Russians as well, but it can last forever, as Russia has completely shifted its industry to war economy, Papperger stated in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung." Papperger also expects sustained growth for the Düsseldorf weapons manufacturer. The sales are projected to increase by 40 percent in this year.
07:05 Assassination plans against Rheinmetall-CEO? Alleged Russian agents have reportedly entered the EU
The threat to Rheinmetall-CEO Armin Papperger from possible assassination plans was apparently more concrete than known. According to "Spiegel" sources from intelligence circles, western intelligence services observed suspicious travels of alleged agents in the past few months. These men were reportedly from countries of the former Soviet Union, at least one from Russia. Some of them had already been in the Schengen Area, while others had planned to enter. Suspicious individuals were detected not only near the Rheinmetall headquarters but also at Papperger's travel destinations abroad. Senior officials suspect that these could have been "proxies" of Russian intelligence services – hired hands from Moscow.
More on this at ntv.de
06:49 Heusgen: Berlin underestimates the seriousness of the situation
The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, criticizes the German government for its communication regarding the Ukraine war. "The German defense minister speaks openly about the need for us to become battle-ready. But most of his cabinet colleagues still underestimate the seriousness of the situation," he lamented. He has felt until today that "most responsible politicians believe they can give the population a pure wine and say: 'We are dealing with an aggression like in the Cold War.' Putin has set himself the goal of restoring the old Soviet Union. 'We are still downplaying it all a bit here,' so Heusgen. 'One must give the people a clear wine and tell them what Russia has broken in treaties, how Russia is arming, that Russia has nuclear-capable missiles stationed in Kaliningrad that can reach Germany.'
06:22 Spying for Russia: Australian couple arrested
Two Australian citizens of Russian origin have been arrested in Australia on espionage charges. The 40 and 62-year-old couple is accused of obtaining material from the Australian military to give to Russian authorities, the Australian National Police reported. The wife is a soldier in the Australian military. The Australian authorities accuse the couple of preparing a spying offense. They face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The couple's exposure was a complex operation of a special task force of the police and the intelligence service, according to Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw.
05:55 Alarm over Russian plot against Rheinmetall CEO: "The Putin regime is now targeting German citizens"
A CNN report about alleged Russian assassination plans against Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger has caused alarm in Germany. "It once again shows that Russia is carrying its war and terror into Europe," says the chairman of the Defense Committee, Marcus Faber of the FDP, to the "Bild" newspaper. "The Putin regime is now targeting German citizens." The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth of the SPD, tells the paper that Putin is not only waging a war of annihilation against Ukraine, but also against its supporters and our values. US intelligence services, according to CNN, discovered plans of the Russian government to assassinate Papperger at the beginning of the year. The German side was informed, and the 61-year-old was subsequently given special protection.
05:18 Hungary accuses NATO partners of hypocrisy and failure
The Hungarian government accuses its NATO partners of hypocrisy and failure at the conclusion of the NATO summit in Washington. "We will continue to advocate for dialogue and diplomatic channels, as the current strategy of the last two and a half years has been a total failure," says Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, according to a spokesperson in a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Szijjarto represented Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who left the summit early to meet with former US President Donald Trump in Florida.
04:35 Britain calls on NATO allies to increase defense efforts
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces a plan for his government at the NATO summit in Washington to increase defense spending to 2.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product. At the same time, he calls on other allies to also increase their defense spending. 23 of the 32 alliance members currently allocate less than 2 percent of their GDP for defense, and in light of the serious threats to security, more must be done, says Starmer.
03:30 Biden: I would talk to Putin if he were open to change
US President Joe Biden currently sees no point in talking to Kremlin chief Putin. In general, he is willing to talk to any state or government leader - including Chinese State and Party Chief Xi Jinping, Biden emphasized at a press conference following the NATO summit. This also applies if Putin calls him. "I'm saying I'm willing to talk to anyone, but I don't see a willingness on his part," Biden says. Putin must be willing to change his behavior.
02:32 Construction of new NATO-Ukraine Command in Wiesbaden begins
The construction of the new NATO-Ukraine Command in Wiesbaden to coordinate weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces begins today. The commander for Europe will likely still need several months to set up the command so that it can take on all planned tasks, explain alliance representatives on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. Until then, US forces will continue to take on the coordination tasks. The deployment is also intended to be a precaution for the possibility of a return of Donald Trump as US President in January 2025.
01:58 Scholz rejects unlimited weapons deployment against RussiaGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for lifting all restrictions on the deployment of Western weapons against Russian territory. "Nobody intends to change the existing guidelines and regulations - for good reasons," Scholz commented at the end of the NATO summit. He emphasized that Germany wanted to support Ukraine as much as possible but prevent the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO. Zelenskyy is particularly concerned about military bases in Russian territory from which rocket attacks on Ukraine are launched. More than 40 civilians, including children, were killed in attacks on Ukrainian cities on Monday.
01:25 Scholz on hacking report: Aware of threatsIn connection with a media report about Russian hacking plans targeting Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, Chancellor Olaf Scholz referred to Russian threats. "I won't say anything about it specifically," Scholz said at the NATO summit in Washington. "But I'd be happy to tell you that we are well aware that we are exposed to various threats from Russian activities."
00:40 UN calls on Russia to withdraw from Zaporizhzhia NPPThe UN General Assembly has called on Russia to withdraw its military and other unauthorized personnel from the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Russia is urged to restore the facility to full control of Ukrainian authorities, according to a UN resolution passed with 99 Yes votes, nine No votes, and 60 abstentions. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest, was taken over by Russia shortly after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Although it has been shut down, it still requires external energy to keep the nuclear fuel cool and prevent a nuclear meltdown.
23:36 Pistorius expects budget correction in 2025Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is confident that there will be adjustments in favor of the defense budget in the 2025 budget plan. "I assume that further talks will lead to changes," the SPD politician told ARD. He will not stop advocating for the Bundeswehr to be adequately equipped to perform its tasks.
22:46 Kremlin: "On the way to a Cold War"Russia criticizes the planned deployment of US long-range weapons in Germany as a return to the Cold War. "We are on the way to a Cold War. This all happened before," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state television. Peskov accused Germany, the US, France, and the UK of directly intervening in the conflict in Ukraine. "And all the signs of the Cold War are returning - with confrontation, with direct confrontation between adversaries," Peskov said. "All this is being done to undermine our country. This is all being done to ensure our strategic defeat on the battlefield," Peskov emphasized. However, during the Cold War, Europe experienced peace. Russia began its war against Ukraine in 2014, which it massively expanded in 2022.
21:34 Zelenskyy: Restrictions for Western Weapons Must EndUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again called for the lifting of all restrictions on the use of Western weapons against Russian territory at the NATO summit in Washington. "If we want to win and save our country, then all these limitations must be lifted," stressed the Ukrainian leader. The main issue is military bases in the Russian hinterland from which rocket attacks are launched. "If they attack us and kill our children, it's crazy to ask why we can't attack that military base," said Zelenskyy.
20:58 USA Announces Additional Aid Package with Patriot SystemUS President Joe Biden announced an additional aid package for Ukraine worth $225 million. Part of the package includes a Patriot system, which is intended to strengthen the air defense of the country against Russian air attacks. In addition, the package includes NASAMS missile defense systems, multiple rocket launchers of the HIMARS type, and artillery ammunition with calibers of 155 and 105 millimeters, according to the US government. The weapons reportedly come from US military stocks.
20:19 Stoltenberg Accuses Russia of Intimidation CampaignNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reported on a Russian campaign of hostile actions against the Alliance. It is intended to intimidate NATO members and prevent them from supporting Ukraine. However, this approach has had the opposite effect, Stoltenberg said at the NATO summit in Washington.
You can read about all previous developmentshere..
The 'Attack on Ukraine' and the ongoing 'Ukraine-Conflict' have led to significant military deployments and tensions between Russia and various countries, including NATO.
Rheinmetall Board Chairman Armin Papperger's potential assassination plans by alleged Russian agents have added to the tension, with intelligence services reporting suspicious travels of men from Russia and other former Soviet Union countries.
Christoph Heusgen, the head of the Munich Security Conference, criticizes the German government for underestimating the seriousness of the situation regarding the 'Ukraine war'.
Australian couple of Russian origin were arrested on espionage charges for obtaining military material from Australia to give to Russian authorities, indicating potential cyberwar activities.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for lifting all restrictions on the deployment of Western weapons against Russian territory, highlighting the political complexities of the situation.
