Germany says it won’t be intimidated by assassination plot [Video]

Berlin –

The German government said Friday that it “won’t be intimidated” by Russian attempts to undermine the country’s support of Ukraine, but refused to comment on a report that Moscow planned to assassinate the chief executive of a leading defense company.

CNN reported Thursday, citing five unidentified U.S. and Western officials, that American intelligence discovered earlier this year that Russia planned to kill Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. It said the U.S. informed Germany, whose security services were able to protect Papperger and foil the plot. Rheinmetall is a major supplier of military technology and artillery rounds for Ukraine.

Neither Rheinmetall nor the German government would comment on the report. Interior Ministry spokesperson Maximilian Kall said his ministry can’t comment on “individual threat situations,” but added that more broadly “we take the significantly increased threat from Russian aggression very seriously.”

“We know that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s regime wants above all to …