Germany is discussing the purchase of up to 1,000 Leopard 2 tanks and 2,500 GTK Boxer armored vehicles worth 25 billion euros. This is part of a plan to form six NATO brigades and transform the Bundeswehr into the strongest army in Europe.
Poland will invest 2. 4 billion zlotys in the state defense group PGZ to increase the production of 155-mm and 120-mm artillery shells fivefold. This will reduce dependence on imports and strengthen the country's defense capabilities.
Rheinmetall and Anduril Industries will start joint production of Barracuda and Fury drones and rocket engines in Europe. The systems will be integrated into the Rheinmetall Battlesuite combat ecosystem.
Ukraine is launching a joint arms production initiative with Ramstein countries. Partners are ready to finance production and transfer weapons to Ukraine.
Germany is increasing its military presence in Lithuania, expanding its tank brigade to 5,000 troops by 2027. This is a response to Russian aggression and the strengthening of NATO's eastern flank.
Rheinmetall plans with Lockheed Martin to produce missiles and aircraft, including for Patriot, in Europe. Investments will reach 5 billion euros, production will start in 2026.
Germany provides Ukraine with a new military aid package, including missiles for the IRIS-T air defense system, ammunition for Leopard 2, drones, and armored vehicles. Engineering equipment and artillery shells have also been handed over.
The German government has confirmed that the country's economy is facing serious problems, forecasting zero GDP growth in 2025. The reason is the impact of US trade wars on exports.
The German army is negotiating with large companies to organize logistical support for NATO. The German government is preparing a "logistics hub" for NATO in accordance with the strategy.
The Bundeswehr is negotiating with logistics companies to transfer troops and equipment to the eastern border of NATO. Germany has been designated as the Alliance's logistics hub.
Finland is strengthening security in the Baltic Sea due to an increase in suspicious incidents related to Russian sabotage. Since 2023, 11 underwater cables have been damaged.
Rheinmetall, KNDS, and Thales will join forces to develop new weapons, including the MGCS tank. The project, the successor to Leopard and Leclerc, should be ready by the 2030s.
European countries are facing a shortage of explosives due to increased demand and depleted reserves. Expanding production is complicated by dependence on raw material imports and regulatory barriers.
On March 14, a drone attacked a military training ground in Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod region. The 333rd Combat Training Center, built with the participation of the German Rheinmetall, is located there.
German concern Rheinmetall has announced its readiness to provide weapons for an international peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. The company can offer more than 2,000 items of weapons, including tanks and armored vehicles.
Volkswagen is considering the possibility of producing equipment for the German army due to instability in relations between Europe and the USA. The company is ready to adapt automobile factories for the production of weapons.
Shares of Rheinmetall, Saab, and Dassault Aviation rose by 8. 9-15% after the announcement of Ukraine's defense. European leaders plan to create a “coalition of the willing” and allocate €200 billion for defense.
An explosion occurred at a military institute in Zagorod during the testing of a Zuzana 2 howitzer intended for Ukraine. Two technicians were injured and are in stable condition in hospitals.
The future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is negotiating the allocation of 200 billion euros for defense. The new package will be twice as large as the previous one and will require circumventing constitutional restrictions.
After the Conservatives won the German election, defense stocks rose to 2. 8%. Germany's benchmark index added 0.4%, and the euro hit a one-month high of $1.0528.
Russia has launched an information campaign “Ukraine does not want peace” led by Sergei Naryshkin. The goal of the operation is to accuse Ukraine of preparing terrorist attacks in the EU and disrupting the peace process.
The President of Ukraine named potential security guarantors for Ukraine, including the United States, the EU, and other European countries. Zelenskyy also said he was ready to accept guarantees from Turkey.
The head of the German defense giant Rheinmetall said that Europe has lost influence due to insufficient defense funding. According to him, even after the war in Ukraine is over, the threat from Russia will remain.
An arson attack on the Ukrainian restaurant “Slava Ukraini” has taken place in Tallinn, as evidenced by surveillance cameras. The fire broke out in the morning of January 31, and the police opened a criminal investigation.
An explosion occurred at the Rheinmetall Expal Munitions plant, injuring six people. Five were hospitalized, and two fires broke out at the plant, which have been extinguished.
NATO's deputy assistant secretary general confirms information about a Russian scheme to assassinate Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. Russia was planning to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe.
At the end of 2024, Ukraine received the first KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle from Rheinmetall. The vehicle is being tested by the Armed Forces of Ukraine for further serial production.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has ordered 180,000 35mm HEI-T rounds for Gepard anti-aircraft tanks. The order will be financed by Germany and produced at the Rheinmetall plant in Unterluss.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has signed a contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of 155-mm artillery shell charging modules. The delivery of tens of thousands of charges is scheduled for January 2025.
Rheinmetall has received an order to supply 20 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Delivery is scheduled for the first half of 2025, with funding provided by Germany.