Rheinmetall's CEO clarified his remarks about Ukrainian housewives' drones

Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger refuted the widely reported quotes about UAVs being developed by “housewives,” explaining that his remarks in an interview with *The Atlantic* had been taken out of context and misrepresented. The head of the German defense conglomerate emphasized that the situation was misinterpreted due to the publication’s failure to fact-check. 

This was reported by Deutsche Welle.

Papperger clarified that the discussion actually involved three separate statements: Rheinmetall’s decision to stop producing quadcopters, the company’s “Click and Play” drone assembly system, and the joint efforts of Ukrainian families to support the front lines. According to him, these remarks were distorted in the March 27 publication. The CEO added that he had already held talks with Ukrainian politicians, who accepted his explanation.

The scandal arose due to words attributed to Papperger regarding the alleged lack of drone innovation in Ukraine, where UAVs are made by housewives on 3D printers. Following the clarifications, the head of Rheinmetall emphasized the importance of correctly interpreting support for Ukrainian society in the face of Russian aggression. The parties have now reached an understanding regarding the actual meaning of the CEO’s statements. 

The German defense conglomerate Rheinmetall has already issued a statement emphasizing its deep respect for the Ukrainian people’s efforts to defend themselves against Russian aggression. This followed criticism of Ukrainian drones by the company’s CEO, Armin Papperger.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, an unofficial advisor to the President of Ukraine on strategic issues, responded to the statement by Armin Papperger, CEO of the German company Rheinmetall, who had mocked the Ukrainian drone industry.