Alexander Kamishin, an advisor to the President of Ukraine on strategic issues, responded on March 29 to a recent statement by Armin Papperger, the CEO of the German defense company Rheinmetall, who, in a public comment, compared the Ukrainian drone industry to “Ukrainian housewives” allegedly producing components for drones using 3D printers at home.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Kamishin’s Response to Papperger’s Statement
In his account on X (formerly Twitter), Alexander Kamishin emphasized that he regularly visits over 200 military enterprises each year and has the opportunity to observe how Ukrainian women work alongside men in the production of weapons and military equipment.
“I often see Ukrainian women working alongside men. They are wonderful homemakers, but they have to work hard in military factories. They deserve respect, Rheinmetall.”
These words were a response to the derogatory characterization made by the head of the German conglomerate regarding the innovativeness of Ukrainian drone production.
Rheinmetall’s Official Position and Reaction to the Interview
Following the backlash from Papperger’s statement, Rheinmetall released an official statement highlighting their “highest respect” for the efforts of the Ukrainian people in confronting Russian aggression. The address emphasized the unique contributions of each woman and man to Ukraine’s defense and noted the effectiveness of Ukrainians’ actions even under conditions of limited resources. Representatives of the conglomerate stressed that the innovativeness and fighting spirit of the Ukrainian people are a source of inspiration for Rheinmetall, and the company is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities with its own resources.
CEO Armin Papperger’s statement was made during his interview with The Atlantic, published on March 27. Papperger expressed skepticism about breakthrough changes in the defense industry due to drones, comparing their use to “playing with Lego.” He also noted that drone production capacities in Ukraine, such as Fire Point and Skyfall, are supposedly not innovative and are the result of the work of “Ukrainian housewives” who produce parts using 3D printers in domestic conditions.
At the beginning of March, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is ready to assist countries in the Middle East in countering attacks from Iran, including sending experts to work on-site following the Iranian drone strikes that intensified after the start of the U.S.-Israeli military operation at the end of February.