«If every housewife in Ukraine can really produce drones, then every housewife in Ukraine can be the CEO of Rheinmetall», responded Volodymyr Zelensky this Monday.
«Housewives», this is how the CEO of the German defense giant Rheinmetall, interviewed by The Atlantic, referred to the main Ukrainian drone manufacturers. In this interview published on Friday, Armin Papperger was asked about Ukraine’s development of drone technologies, widely seen as playing a key role in the country’s response to the Russian invasion. «It’s like playing with Legos», he said about drones, before comparing the main Ukrainian drone manufacturers to «housewives». «They have 3D printers in the kitchen and they produce parts for drones», he said, adding: «this is not innovation».
This Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the CEO’s comments: «If every housewife in Ukraine can really produce drones, then every housewife in Ukraine can be the CEO of Rheinmetall.»
«They deserve respect»
Other reactions quickly followed. Alexander Kamyshin, advisor to the Ukrainian president, pointed out that in armament factories, Ukrainian women often work on an equal footing with men. «They deserve respect», he added.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko spoke out on X on Sunday, highlighting the «essential» contribution of Ukrainian women in sectors formerly considered reserved for men, especially in the army and defense industry. On social media, this controversy sparked the hashtag #MadeByHousewives, widely embraced with humor by Ukrainians.
Faced with the situation, Rheinmetall tried to justify itself this Sunday with a post on its X account, stating: «We have the utmost respect for the immense efforts made by the Ukrainian people to defend themselves. Every woman and man in Ukraine contributes to this inestimable way».
