ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - July 12, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - July 12, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• ZeroFox Intelligence Assessment - Threats to the Republican National Convention
• Several Western Countries Reexamining Relationship With Georgia
• Russia Reportedly Planned to Assassinate German Rheinmetall CEO

ZeroFox Intelligence Assessment - Threats to the Republican National Convention

The Republican National Convention (RNC) will be held at the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15-18. According to local officials, approximately 50,000 delegates, guests, and media members are expected to visit the city for the event, in addition to thousands of protesters. Wisconsin is likely to be a hotly contested state in the upcoming November 2024 presidential election, with Milwaukee being a Democratic stronghold. In 2020, President Joe Biden carried the state by only slightly more than 20,000 votes, after Trump won the state in 2016. In this heated political atmosphere, left-leaning protest groups have vowed to carry out demonstrations that could lead to confrontations with police and security personnel.

Several Western Countries Reexamining Relationship With Georgia

According to a U.S. State Department press release, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya will travel to Georgia in the coming days to "underscore the United State’s grave concerns over the ‘foreign influence’ law and other illiberal legislation and the harmful rhetoric of the Georgian government.” Zeya will also "make clear that the government’s undemocratic behavior and disinformation about the United States has damaged our long-standing relationship". Last week, the United States announced it would halt joint military exercises with Georgia as it reexamined its relationship with the country. Zeya's visit also comes after the European Union announced it halted Georgia's EU accession process due to the foreign influence law.

Russia Reportedly Planned to Assassinate German Rheinmetall CEO

On July 11, international news organizations, citing anonymous U.S. and Western officials, reported Russia planned to assassinate the CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger. Rheinmetall is one of the largest European manufacturers of the 155 mm artillery shells, which are critically important on the battlefield in Ukraine. Western governments have helped facilitate the transfer or purchase of most of Rheinmetall's 155 mm shells to Ukraine over the past two years. Papperger's role as CEO of Rheinmetall made him an attractive target to Russia, and Russia's plan could indicate the government is willing to target private civilians to disrupt Ukraine's arms supply chain.