MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - The Kremlin has denied reports of alleged Russian plans to attack Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. It is very difficult to comment on such rumors, which are based solely on anonymous sources without any serious substantiation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow. "All this is being served up in the style of more fakes, so you can't take such reports seriously."

The US broadcaster CNN had previously reported that American intelligence services had uncovered plans by the Russian government to assassinate Papperger at the beginning of the year. The German side was then informed and the 61-year-old was subsequently given special protection. Rheinmetall did not comment on the report, which according to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" is also true.

The reports of the murder plans caused outrage in Berlin. Several politicians called for a strong reaction if the reports turned out to be true.

Rheinmetall is one of the largest European suppliers of tank technology and artillery shells for the Ukraine and, according to its own account, the largest manufacturer of artillery ammunition in the western world. In June, Rheinmetall opened a repair workshop for infantry fighting vehicles in western Ukraine. There are also plans to produce new tanks.

The Russian leadership has also been accused of attempted or successful assassinations abroad in the past. Among others, the defected KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive polonium in London in 2006. In 2018, an attempt to assassinate defector Sergei Skripal with the nerve agent Novichok also failed in the UK. In all cases, Russia has denied responsibility for such acts./bal/DP/jha