KYIV, Ukraine -- Senior officials successful Kyiv are taking a swipe astatine the caput of German defence elephantine Rheinmetall, whose unflattering comments astir Ukrainian drone exertion and the relation of women successful the warfare against Russia ignited a societal media backlash.
Rheinmetall AG’s Chairman and CEO Armin Papperger likened Ukraine’s improvement of cutting-edge drone expertise arsenic similar playing “with Lego” and said the drones are being built by “Ukrainian housewives.”
“They person 3D printers successful the kitchen, and they nutrient parts for drones,” Papperger said successful comments to The Atlantic mag published Friday. “This is not innovation.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is offering his country’s precocious drone exertion to Gulf countries amid the Iran war, connected Monday described Papperger’s remarks arsenic “strange.”
“If each Ukrainian housewife tin truly nutrient drones, past each Ukrainian housewife could besides beryllium the CEO of Rheinmetall,” helium told reporters via voicemail connected WhatsApp. “I congratulate our defense-industrial analyzable connected being astatine specified a precocious level.”
Ukraine has rapidly grown into 1 of the world’s starring producers of cutting-edge, battle-tested drone interceptors that are inexpensive and effective.
After Papperger’s comments appeared, Ukrainians took to societal media to berate him nether the hashtag #MadeByHousewives.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko praised the relation of Ukrainian women successful the effort to thwart Russia’s all-out penetration of February 2022.
“Ukrainian women are so an indispensable portion of Ukraine’s warfare effort and of Europe’s security,” she posted connected X precocious Sunday. “They person stepped with courageousness into galore areas erstwhile seen arsenic male-dominated, bringing energy, discipline, and determination.”
“And they are doing this portion raising our adjacent procreation and caring for their families nether wartime pressures,” she added.
Zelenskyy advisor Alexander Kamyshin said helium regularly visits subject manufacturing plants and sees men and women moving broadside by side.
“They are large housewives, yet they person to enactment hard successful the subject factories,” helium said connected X, adding: “They merit respect.”
Rheinmetall responded Sunday connected X, saying that the institution has “the utmost respect” for Ukrainian radical warring Russia.
“Every azygous pistillate and antheral successful (Ukraine) is making an immeasurable contribution,” it said. “The innovative spot and the warring tone of the Ukrainian radical are an inspiration to us.”
___
Follow AP’s sum of the warfare successful Ukraine astatine https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
English (CA) · 
English (US) · 
Spanish (MX) ·