Rheinmetall has been unable to obtain permission to expand ammunition production in Sardinia for six months due to opposition from the island's regional council.
A subsidiary of German defense group Rheinmetall has been unable to get permission from local authorities to expand production in Sardinia for six months, reports say. RIA “News” is related to the Financial Times. At the plant in the Domusnovas municipality, the company produces ammunition and, since October 2025, drones for Ukraine and other military installations in Europe.
According to the publication, the RWM Italia plant has been producing ammunition since 2010 and operates around the clock to ensure high demand. The first phase of licensing for the creation of the new production line was approved in 2018, but now Sardinia's regional council, under the control of the Five Star Movement, is blocking the expansion.
Local authorities explained their position with active criticism from anti-war and environmental groups opposing the increase in military production on the island. In April, Italian government experts recognized the project as environmentally acceptable. However, in September, regional leaders requested additional analysis from dozens of different government agencies.
As the newspaper VZGLYAD wrote, Germans are concerned about Rheinmetall will deliver additional supply to Ukraine of Skyranger 35 air defense systems at the expense of frozen Russian assets.
