Kremlin dismisses reports of assassination plot against German arms maker

The Kremlin on Friday dismissed a report that Russia was plotting to assassinate the chief executive of a major German arms maker supplying weaponry to Ukraine.

Citing five unidentified US and Western officials, CNN reported Thursday that the United States informed Germany that the Russian government had a plan to kill Armin Papperger, the head of Rheinmetall.

Asked about the report on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed it as appearing to be "fake" and said it could not be taken "seriously."

"It is very difficult for us to comment on reports from various media outlets that do not contain any serious arguments and are based on anonymous sources," Peskov told reporters in a briefing call.

"It's all presented in the style of another fake story, therefore such reports cannot be taken seriously," he added.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock castigated Moscow after the allegations were published.

"Russia is waging a hybrid war of aggression," she said Thursday.

"With sabotage, with cyber attacks, with the paralysis of GPS so that Baltic aircraft can no longer land in neighbouring countries.

"We have seen that there have been attacks on people on European territory," the foreign minister said. "We have seen that there have been attacks on factories."

A German interior ministry spokesman declined to comment directly on the Rheinmetall report but said the "German government takes the threats from the Russian regime very seriously".

Rheinmetall spokesman Oliver Hoffmann said the company was "unable to comment on issues relating to corporate security."

Rheinmetall produces 155mm artillery shells and plans to begin manufacturing armoured vehicles in Ukraine, according to CNN.