Arson Attack on Milrem Robotics Facility Did Not Affect UGV Deliveries to Ukraine

The arson attack on the building of the Estonian company Milrem Robotics did not affect the pace of deliveries of unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine.

Reuters reports this, citing the company’s CEO Kuldar Väärsi.

The fire broke out overnight into Saturday, August 15. Estonian police are investigating the incident as an act of sabotage.

In particular, Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that possible Russian involvement is one of the lines of investigation.

On Wednesday, August 19, two suspects were arrested in Latvia in connection with the crime. A third suspect has not yet been detained.

“Nothing really ​disturbs our deliveries this year or next year,” Väärsi stated.

According to the CEO of Milrem Robotics, the company is one of only two foreign suppliers whose UGVs are in active service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

By the end of this year, Milrem plans to deploy more than 200 such systems in Ukraine.

In late July, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency warned domestic companies in the defense and security sectors of an increased threat of espionage, sabotage, and possible attacks from Russia.

German intelligence emphasized that Russian government agencies and their agents are targeting military infrastructure and related businesses.

The agency does not rule out targeted attacks on top executives depending on how the war in Ukraine unfolds, citing as an example the threat of an assassination attempt on Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger.