German defence concern Rheinmetall in Ukraine would be a legitimate military target for Russian troops, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Russia believes that arms deliveries to Ukraine hinder the settlement, directly involve NATO countries in the conflict and are ‘playing with fire.’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier noted that any cargoes that contain weapons for Ukraine will be a legitimate target for Russia.
In his turn, the head of the German defence concern Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, said earlier that the concern was building four armament production plants in Ukraine, the first one having already been launched. According to the head of the concern, the plant is currently engaged in servicing BMPs and tanks, but it is expected that by the end of the year it will be able to assemble Lynx BMPs.
The Russian presidential spokesman emphasised that the Russian Armed Forces have the right to strike the facility, as they do with any Ukrainian military enterprise.
‘Of course, yes,’ Dmitry Peskov said in response to a question from journalists about whether the plant of the German defence concern Rheinmetall can be considered the same military target for the Russian army as any other defence enterprise in Ukraine.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Western ideas of the new world order hypocrisy. According to him, they are aimed solely at preserving the neo-colonial system, showing their essence in the form of ‘hypocrisy, double standards and claims’.
