The Independence Day of Ukraine is a celebration not only of freedom, but also of daily work needed to preserve it. At this time, the country's resilience relies on the unity of the front and home fronts. In particular, Metinvest Integrated Iron Ore, besides performing operational tasks, systematically supports Kryvyi Rih, as well as communities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad regions, helping the regions withstand the challenges, develop, and move towards our common victory.
The challenges of wartime and economic difficulties did not stop the support that Metinvest's plants have been providing to Kryvyi Rih and its communities for many years. The enterprises continue to implement numerous infrastructure, educational, and social projects as part of memoranda of cooperation with local authorities and the NGO "Kryvyi Rih Foundation for the Future". Since 2022, Metinvest's enterprises have adapted their support to wartime conditions, supplementing it with humanitarian and security-related initiatives.
Thus, in Kryvyi Rih, with the support of Metinvest Integrated Iron Ore, school and kindergarten basements have been completely renovated and converted into modern shelters. Several large projects were implemented in a lyceum and a kindergarten in the Inhulets district. The educational facilities were equipped with ventilation, water supply systems, and autonomous lighting (investments amounted to nearly UAH 12 million). In addition, shelters were equipped in the Polytechnic and Mining Vocational Colleges.
In the Petrivka community of the Kirovohrad region, thanks to Metinvest, a large project aimed at creating a modern school shelter, capable of accommodating up to 700 students and teachers at the same time, was brought into existence. It has helped to restore a safe educational process. In addition, Metinvest Integrated Iron Ore also financed the renovation and equipping of smaller shelters in other general secondary education institutions and kindergartens.
Among these humanitarian initiatives was the creation of a hub at Metinvest Central Iron Ore, which became a key point for the "Saving Lives" project, initiated by Metinvest in coordination with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.
During its operation, volunteers at the Metinvest Central Iron Ore hub collected 135,000 food packages, including packages for residents of Kryvyi Rih and the communities of Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Kherson, and other regions. To equip shelters for internally displaced people staying in Kryvyi Rih, 2,500 bedding items and household appliances were provided.
Metinvest systematically helps Kryvyi Rih and neighbouring communities address critical problems with water supply, intensified after Russia destroyed the Kakhovka HPP. Thanks to Metinvest, in the Shevchenko district of the Hleiuvatka community, a booster pump station was renovated and re-equipped. Currently, Metinvest Integrated Iron Ore has joined an initiative to provide community residents with free purified drinking water, while in the Karpivka community Metinvest has financed the construction of three geological exploration wells.
Among the major assistance projects are those supporting healthcare, including the delivery, at the beginning of the full-scale war, of supplies of medicines, consumables and medical equipment. Today, joint work with the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council and the city administration continues. A major project involved the complete refurbishment of the outpatient block and radiology department at Kryvyi Rih City Hospital No. 3, as well as the complete refurbishment of the main inpatient block at City Hospital No. 7.
In addition to projects necessitated by the war, Metinvest's enterprises continue their systematic work on developing infrastructure and creating comfortable living conditions in settlements of the Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad regions, where the company's production facilities are located.
This year, together with its partners, Metinvest Integrated Iron Ore is continuing work on the roof reconstruction at the Chervonozaboiiskyi Lyceum and the capital renovation of the Nedaivodska Gymnasium building in the Hleiuvatka community. The company is also working on creating and equipping a multifunctional space in the village of Sofiivka, Lozuvatka Village Council, bringing administrative and social services for local residents together in one place. The capital renovation of the roof at Andriivskyi Lyceum in the Karpivka community is also under way. Other projects include the reconstruction and equipping of family medicine outpatient clinics, support for educators and low-income community residents, and more.
Today, the experience of Metinvest's enterprises in independent Ukraine is not only millions of tonnes of manufactured products, thousands of jobs preserved, and consistent support for the army; it is also the systematic fulfilment of social commitments to Kryvyi Rih and partner communities, aimed at supporting the region's infrastructure, healthcare and humanitarian sectors.
"The Independence Day of Ukraine is an especially important day for our country; a day that became a cornerstone in the establishment and development of an independent country 35 years ago.
Metinvest has been travelling the same path as Ukraine for 20 years. All this time, Metinvest's enterprises in Kryvyi Rih have been working to help our country thrive and grow stronger; to make the city of miners more modern and attractive; and to ensure that people in the rural communities where our facilities are located have everything they need for a comfortable life, including developed infrastructure and social services," emphasised Ihor TONIEV, General Director of Metinvest Integrated Iron Ore.
