Don’t Mess With the Housewives of Ukraine

Our take

In a surprising turn of events, a casual remark from Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest arms manufacturer, ignited a heated discussion on national security and the capabilities of Ukrainian ingenuity. During an interview, Papperger dismissed the contributions of Ukrainian drone makers, labeling their efforts as mere “child’s play,” conducted by “housewives” using 3-D printers in their kitchens. This comment not only provoked a swift response from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, who quipped that if housewives could produce drones, they might as well run Rheinmetall, but it also drew ire from Ukrainian officials who viewed Papperger’s remarks as arrogant and sexist. Oleksandr Kamyshin, a key figure in Ukraine’s defense industry, humorously challenged Papperger’s assertions, suggesting that the CEO’s lack of respect for Ukrainian efforts reflected a broader issue within German defense circles. The backlash escalated with the creation of memes and satirical military patches celebrating the fictional “17th Housewife Drone Regiment.” Amid the growing controversy, Rheinmetall attempted to mitigate the damage by acknowledging the bravery and resourcefulness of Ukrainians in their fight against Russia. As the incident garnered significant media attention in Germany, it raised questions about the military’s procurement practices and the potential impact on Rheinmetall’s future contracts. Interestingly, despite the backlash, the company's stock value surged, illustrating the complex relationship between public perception and corporate success in the arms industry.

It’s rare for a remark from a corporate executive to spark a debate about national security, cause a rift between strategic allies, and inspire people to create a bunch of memes. But my conversation with Armin Papperger, the CEO of Germany’s biggest arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, managed to do all three.

In my interview with Papperger, he dismissed the work of Ukrainian drone makers as child’s play. “This is how to play with Legos,” he said. “It’s Ukrainian housewives. They have 3-D printers in the kitchen, and they produce parts for drones. This is not innovation.” To which Volodymyr Zelensky replied: “If every Ukrainian housewife can really produce drones, then every Ukrainian housewife could also be the CEO of Rheinmetall.”

Papperger’s remarks caused a broader and fiercer reaction among several top Ukrainian officials, who denounced what they saw as his arrogance, incompetence, sexism, or worse. Oleksandr Kamyshin, who oversees the Ukrainian weapons industry in the Zelensky administration, texted me over the weekend: “Hold my beer.” Ukrainians had by then designed and posted a fake military patch depicting the brave women of the “17th Housewife Drone Regiment,” among other AI-generated jokes at Rheinmetall’s expense.

The company, known for producing high-end weapons such as tanks, missiles, and artillery systems, tried to calm the backlash after Kamyshin demanded appreciation for the Ukrainian women working in drone factories during the war. “We have the utmost respect for the Ukrainian people’s immense efforts in defending themselves against the Russian attack,” Rheinmetall said in a statement on X. “It is to Ukraine’s particular credit that it is fighting highly effectively even with limited resources.”

When Kamyshin visited Berlin two days later, he found that Papperger’s comments had struck a deep vein of frustration in Germany. “Meeting industry, military and political leadership,” he wrote on social media, and all of them wanted to discuss three things: drones, Rheinmetall, and housewives.

Several of the biggest newspapers in Germany had by then published articles about Papperger’s remarks, and some of the authors questioned whether taxpayers should continue buying expensive weapons for the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, when Ukraine had defended itself against Russia using much cheaper means. “The arrogance of so many in the Bundeswehr, industry, and politics toward the new economics of war—with mass-produced cheap drones and missiles—could yet become a serious security risk for us,” Nico Lange, a former chief of staff to the German defense ministry, wrote in response to Papperger’s remarks.

Others speculated that the fallout could end up costing Rheinmetall dearly if the German Defense Ministry begins looking for less expensive suppliers. But investors have so far ignored that risk. The price of Rheinmetall’s stock has gone up more than 10 percent since The Atlantic published the CEO’s remarks, helping prove the adage that there may, after all, be no such thing as bad publicity.

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