The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, threatened on Saturday that the Russian army will “welcome” Caliber missiles and other “pyrotechnic fireworks” at the future German tank factory in Ukraine, writes EFE.

Former President of Russia Dmitry MedvedevPhoto: Loic VENANCE / AFP / Profimedia
  • “This event will be celebrated with Caliber fireworks and other pyrotechnics,” Medvedev wrote in Telegram.

Former Russian President Medvedev expressed his belief that the plans for the construction of the plant at the moment resemble “primitive trolling (challenging) of the Kyiv regime.”

The German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall is negotiating with Ukrainian officials about the construction of a tank factory in Ukraine

Medvedev, a staunch supporter of current head of state Vladimir Putin, made the comments following reports that German arms company Rheinmetall was in talks to build a tank production plant in Ukraine.

According to the head of the company, Armin Papperger, the plant could be opened in Ukraine for about 200 million euros and could annually produce up to 400 main battle tanks of the Panther type.

Papperger called the negotiations with the Ukrainian government “promising”, adding that he hopes for a decision “within the next two months”.

According to Papperger, quoted by AFP, Ukraine needs 600 to 800 tanks to defeat Russian forces, so it is necessary to quickly produce new tanks. “Even if Germany provided (Ukraine) 300 Leopard 2 tanks to the Bundeswehr, this would clearly not be enough.”

After a long delay, at the end of January, Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave the green light to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Berlin, which wants to supply a total of 18 Leopard 2A6 tanks from Bundeswehr warehouses, is coordinating a coalition of countries aiming to send two battalions of 31 Leopards to Kyiv, which includes, among others, Sweden, Finland, Portugal and Poland.

In turn, Rheinmetall will be able to collect almost 250 tanks as part of military aid to Ukraine, many of which will go to the Czech Republic and Slovakia to replace the previous supply of Russian-made armored vehicles to Kyiv. Some will go to the Bundeswehr, others to Ukraine, Papperger said.