German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has opened a repair and production facility for armoured vehicles in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industries announced on Monday.
The service centre, a joint venture between Rheinmetall and a Ukrainian partner company, will facilitate the rapid repair and maintenance of German equipment in Ukraine, the Ministry said.
"The establishment of a joint production facility with Rheinmetall is not only a step towards Ukraine's victory, but also a significant milestone in the development of the arsenal of the free world," Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin said in a statement.
The German manufacturer has been supplying Ukraine with arms for the war against Russia, which began in February 2022. Its products include Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Leopard battle tanks.
Ukrainian specialists will be employed at the facility, with representatives of the German company overseeing technical supervision, according to the press release.
A photo published by the ministry showed Armin Papperger, the chief executive of Rheinmetall, in a bulletproof vest.
"It is very important for us to support Ukraine efficiently and reliably," Papperger said in the Ukrainian statement, noting that spare parts need to be delivered promptly.
Rheinmetall announced last year that the joint venture would be active in the fields of service and maintenance as well as assembly, production and development of military vehicles.
With the backing of Western defence companies, Ukraine aims to position itself as one of the world's top arms producers in the future.