“As part of the partnership between the Ukrainian defense industry and the global arms giant Rheinmetall, the first repair and production plant for armored vehicles in Ukraine (operating) as part of a joint venture has started operations,” we read in a statement from the ministry.
The Ukrainian arms industry is part of the European arms sector
It was reported that the main goal of this initiative is the production and repair of German weapons. The opening of the plant will accelerate the renovation of combat vehicles and their return to the front line, and will also enable the production of new equipment for the Ukrainian army by producers from this country.
“We are trying to develop our production capabilities together with our allies and we believe that the Ukrainian arms industry is part of the European arms sector. It strengthens the collective security system (within) the EU,” said Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine.
According to Kamyshin, the opening of a joint production plant with Rheinmetall is not only a step towards Ukraine's victory in the war with Russia, but also “an important stage in building the Arsenal of the Free World.” “The opening of the first joint service center with Rheinmetall in Ukraine is extremely important for strengthening our defense capabilities. This will allow us to ensure rapid repair and maintenance of German equipment directly on the territory of Ukraine, which will significantly increase the effectiveness of our Armed Forces,” emphasized Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Dmytro Klimenkov.
“We are grateful to our German partners for their trust and support”
“We are grateful to our German partners for their trust and support. This allows us to confidently move towards victory and integration with the European collective security system,” he added. Ukrainian specialists perform most of the work in the joint plant, while representatives of the German partner provide technical supervision.
“This project, implemented as part of a large cooperation program with Rheinmetall, creates new opportunities for our defenders, who will receive combat equipment after repair and maintenance as soon as possible,” said Herman Smetanin, General Director of Ukroboronprom.
According to him, the fact that this is happening on the territory of Ukraine is very important. “Our foreign partners trust us – our professionalism and the great potential of the domestic defense industry,” Smetanin emphasized. The German-Ukrainian company subordinate to the Rheinmetall concern was registered in Ukraine on October 18, 2023.
From Kiev Iryna Hirnyk
