The Economist.
These are dramatic and dangerous times.
It's long been threatened and now it's started.
Explosions were heard in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv and here in Kharkiv.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and now with Trump in the White House again,
Europe is arming up and one CEO is leading the charge.
We have to work for freedom and we have to work for democracy, and nobody can stop us.
Armin Papperger is the boss of German defense company, Rheinmetall.
It's Europe's largest ammunition manufacturer and a major beneficiary of the continent's biggest defense build-up in decades.
It's very important that we help the Ukrainians, that they are independent.
Papperger has been enthusiastically arming Ukraine.
It's brought his company unprecedented riches.
Look at the numbers for Rheinmetall.
The defense company up more than 200% year to date.
They are indeed the best performer for the German market.
But this success has also made Papperger a target.
A Russian plot to assassinate the boss of a German weapons manufacturer was foiled earlier this year thanks to US intelligence.
Last year, Armin Papperger was the object of a Russian assassination plot.
But he's not letting up.
He now travels the world under round-the-clock protection,