"Built by housewives in the kitchen" Rheinmetall CEO mocks Ukrainian drones - the counterattack comes immediately
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Pappberger has made disparaging remarks about Ukrainian drone production in an interview. Ukraine's counterattack is on target. A German military expert accuses him of arrogance.
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- Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger questioned the innovative power of Ukrainian drone development and pejoratively compared their production to "Lego toys" and improvised kitchen solutions.
- In practice, inexpensive Ukrainian drones, often costing less than 1000 euros, are proving to be extremely effective, as they destroy Russian military technology worth millions and change the way war is waged.
- The statements sparked criticism and ridicule. Experts warn that the Rheinmetall CEO underestimates the importance of low-cost mass weapons in modern warfare.
In an interview with "The Atlantic" magazine, the CEO questioned Ukraine's innovative strength and drew a provocative comparison: the construction of war drones reminded him of a game with "Lego bricks", reports t-online.
"That's how you play with Lego bricks," Papperger said verbatim. And added: "What is Ukraine's innovation?" The developments are not technological breakthroughs, but rather improvised solutions. For him, this is not comparable to the high-tech armaments industry of companies such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics or Rheinmetall itself.
And that's not all: according to the report, Papperger even mocked Ukrainian drone manufacturers as Ukrainian housewives who use 3D printers in the kitchen to produce components. The manager does not see any innovation in this development.
Cheap drones destroy expensive armaments
The reality on the battlefield paints a different picture. Since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion, Ukraine has massively expanded its drone capacities - with remarkable success. These are often simple, commercially available small drones that are equipped with explosives and target Russian military equipment.
The highlight: many of these systems cost less than 1000 euros - and yet destroy tanks and artillery worth several million euros. At the same time, domestic arms production is also growing and increasingly developing its own specialized war drones. In a war in which resources are as unevenly distributed as the one between Russia and Ukraine, both are an enormous advantage for the country under attack. Russia has also been using cheap drones for a long time.
Ukraine is reacting with its familiar mixture of demonstrated determination and biting humor. Drone manufacturer SkyFall declared: "If a drone built by Ukrainian 'housewives' is enough to take out tanks and artillery, then we have officially entered the era of 'housewives'."
Presidential advisor Alexander Kamyshin was even clearer. He wrote on X: "Our Lego drones, built by housewives in their kitchens, have already destroyed more than 11,000 Russian tanks."
British volunteer Richard Woodruff published a photo in front of a pile of drones and commented ironically that he had "only found out today" that he was "a Ukrainian housewife".
Criticism also came from Germany. Military expert Nico Lange warned of the consequences of such an attitude: "The arrogance of some in the Bundeswehr, industry and politics towards the new economy of war with masses of cheap drones and missiles could become a serious security risk for us."
Rheinmetall produces massively for Ukraine
Rheinmetall itself is one of the major beneficiaries of the war in Ukraine. The company primarily produces tanks, artillery, ammunition and military vehicles - some of which are in use in Ukraine. With around 33,000 employees, the company recently achieved a turnover of 9.9 billion euros - an increase of 29 percent. The headquarters are located in Düsseldorf, with the largest plant in Unterlüss, Lower Saxony.
In a comment on Alexander Kamyshin's post, Rheinmetall announces via its official X account that the company has the greatest respect for the immense efforts of the people in Ukraine to defend themselves against the Russian attack. The presidential advisor also politely thanks Germany for its support.
The debate shows: While high-tech corporations are relying on complex weapons systems, Ukraine is increasingly changing the rules of the game of modern war with cheap, flexibly produced drones - and thus challenging established ways of thinking. The attacked country is nevertheless dependent on industrial armaments.