Defense manufacturers supplying Ukraine face fires and explosions

A series of fires and explosions have targeted facilities belonging to major defense contractors supplying weapons to Ukraine.

In Germany, an investigation into a fire at a Diehl plant near Berlin concluded that the incident was an act of arson and part of a sabotage campaign orchestrated by Russia. Diehl is a strategic supplier for Ukraine, providing IRIS-T systems and anti-aircraft components. Additionally, reports indicated that Washington alerted Berlin to a Russian plot to assassinate the president of Rheinmetall, a primary manufacturer of Leopard tanks and artillery ammunition for the Ukrainian military.

In Spain, a violent explosion destroyed a munitions factory near Murcia. The facility is owned by Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, a Spanish subsidiary of the German group. While the exact cause of the explosion remains unknown, the incident has resulted in a one-year halt to ammunition production at the site.