In 2026, Consolidated Iron Ore continues last year's tradition - congratulatory meetings of pensioners of enterprises: anniversary celebrants who have turned 80, 90, 95 and 100 years old since the beginning of the year. Those who stood at the origins of the formation of plants, devoting their lives to difficult mining activity.

Over 50 anniversary celebrants became guests of the plant's events. Each of the guests present was directly related to the victories and achievements of the history of the plants. These are the pioneers who made a significant personal contribution to the development of Iron Ores, and activists of public organizations, who continue to support the initiatives implemented at the plants today. And some, despite their venerable age, take part in supporting the front as much as possible.

"This meeting is another opportunity to express my gratitude to you for your achievements," Oleksandr SHULIKA, HR director of Consolidated Iron Ore, addressed the anniversary celebrants. "There is an opportunity to personally congratulate you on a respectable date. Thank you, dear ones, for laying a solid foundation for future generations. For being you, for staying with us, in a big family of miners. As professionals and witnesses of numerous challenges and victories, you are the ones who are now inspiring the younger generations of miners. After all, most of you also started your career in difficult times of the formation of enterprises. We appreciate and are proud of you!"

Among the guests of the event was Antonina SHOVGELIA, former foreman of the technical power supply shop at Central Iron Ore. The pensioner turned 80 in January. Now Antonina Ivanivna heads the Shovgelia family. The combined length of service of its members at Central Iron Ore is 165 years. Her work experience at the enterprise is 39 years.

"I gladly responded to the invitation and came to the meeting. A very cozy and pleasant event that reminded me of past years of work, the youth. I always remember these years with joy. And I still wonder how I managed to do everything then – both at the plant and in the district council as a deputy head. I always tried to remain principled and demanding in my work – both to myself and to others. I appreciated the experience and support of colleagues. I am grateful for the event and wish peaceful work to the entire staff of the plant."

Georgii BILOKUROV gave 34 years of his life to the pelletizing shop No. 1 of Northern Iron Ore, where he worked as a sinterer, has numerous acknowledgments and high honours. His professional skills, endurance and cautious optimism, as he himself calls it, were tempered in the daily worries of production.

"You should always think about the good, and be ready for the worst," explains Georgii Petrovich. "Such meetings in this difficult time are like a breath of air. Despite the difficulties of the war, you must live! Most people still hope for the best, live by hope. I am glad that Northern Iron Ore, despite the war, is holding on and developing, and it is important for me to know this. I feel proud of our people, of my colleagues, of our youth, of our defenders."

At Ingulets Iron Ore, gifts and congratulations were presented to 24 pensioners-anniversary celebrants. For each of them, life is very closely connected with the plant, with Ingulets, and those were the best years for them, which they remembered at a friendly tea party.

Volodymyr HRYHOROVYCH worked at the plant for about forty years. He came here after school, in 1964, when Ingulets Iron Ore was just being built. All the years of work he conscientiously grew, studied, developed professionally, from an apprentice electrician to engineering positions at factories and in the management of the plant. He went on a well-earned rest, being a mechanical engineer of the site.

"I am very pleased with the attention to us, pensioners. The invitation was a pleasant surprise," says the hero of the day. "Good impressions, good people met, useful gifts... All this reminded me of the past years, our everyday life, cohesion, the difficulties we overcame, and the victories we rejoiced. It is truly said that there are no former miners. We will always remember the traditions that we learned in our teams, which we passed on to the young – our children, grandchildren, successors. The main thing is that the victory will return peace and our defenders to their homes.”