Media reports that Russia planned to assassinate the chief executive of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall are based on "fake" information from anonymous sources, the Kremlin said on Friday.
CNN and the New York Times on Thursday reported that US intelligence had discovered that Russia had plans to assassinate Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall, which has been producing artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reports came from anonymous sources, did not contain "serious documentation" and so could not be taken seriously.
Rheinmetall said in a statement on Thursday that "necessary measures are always taken" in regular consultation with security authorities.
Rheinmetall, one of the world's biggest producers of artillery and tank shells, began ramping up production after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In May 2023, it said it had set up a joint venture with Ukrainian state-owned conglomerate Ukroboronprom to build and repair tanks in Ukraine.
Russia's former President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of current President Vladimir Putin, said Russia would retaliate by hitting any facility Rheinmetall set up in Ukraine.
In February, Rheinmetall announced that it also planned to open an ammunition factory in Ukraine.
