It seemed as though Maksym Shekhovtsov had more than 24 hours in a day. At the age of 33, he had already achieved the profession he loved, built a strong family with many children, pursued a cherished hobby, and made countless plans for the future.

He was hardworking, compassionate, and open-hearted towards others. He was constantly learning, striving to grow professionally, unafraid of challenging tasks, and always found time for those closest to him. 

On the night of 11 August, Maksym’s life was tragically cut short by an enemy attack. That day, eight employees of Zaporizhstal lost their lives as a result of the shelling of the plant. They did not have time to reach the shelter... 

He found his calling in his profession

Maksym was born on 16 October 1993 in Kherson region and lived in Zaporizhzhia. He trained as a motor vehicle repair mechanic and a driver at Zaporizhzhia Vocational Lyceum. 

He began his professional career at Metinvest Group enterprises in 2019, joining Metinvest Promservice as a maintenance fitter. Despite having no formal education in metallurgy, Maksym acquired the knowledge and skills he needed directly on the job. Step by step, he mastered the intricacies of metallurgy production, learned from the experience of his colleagues, and continually deepened his professional knowledge. 

In March 2026, Maksym joined the Zaporizhstal team, where he worked in the Lifting and Transport Equipment Repair Section of Metallurgical Equipment Repair Shop No. 1. 

Over the years, he became a true expert in repair and maintenance work in the blast furnace shop: he repaired blast furnace charging equipment, took part in major blast furnace overhauls, and contributed to the revamping of casting machines. His knowledge, experience, and sense of responsibility ultimately led Maksym to the position of team leader. 

Overall, he spent more than seven years working at Metinvest Group enterprises. 

Family was his greatest treasure

Together with his wife, Olena, Maksym was raising four children: two sons and two daughters. He was immensely proud of his children. He wanted to ensure that they had everything they needed, and he dreamed of spending as much time with them as possible. 

It was for the sake of his family that Maksym worked so hard. Even after a long shift or at weekends, he would take on additional work, determined to give his children the very best in life.

One of Maksym’s passions was cars. He had a sound understanding of machinery and took great pleasure in repairing vehicles. He would often head straight from work to help colleagues and friends if their car needed repairing.

Artem Niealov first met Maksym around ten years ago at a previous workplace. Over the years, they became close friends and colleagues, having both joined Metinvest enterprises in Zaporizhzhia, and later became godfathers to each other’s children. 

“Maksym was a remarkably compassionate, cheerful, and incredibly hardworking person. Even after finishing a shift, he would often go on to repair cars. He knew cars inside out. He never took money for it from people he knew. If he could help, he simply did. He was someone you could always rely on at work. He never took offence at minor things and got on easily with people. When we worked together at Zaporizhzhia Special Installation Department and later at Metinvest Promservice, we became very close friends. Despite the 16-year age difference between us, we always spoke to each other as equals. Maksym even asked me to be the godfather of his son, Sasha. And even after I moved to a different shop, we never lost touch. People like Maksym are worth holding on to,” recalls Artem NIEALOV, Maintenance Fitter at Hot Rolling Mill, Zaporizhstal. 

Didn't make it...

It often seemed that Maksym had a unique ability to fit more into an ordinary day than most people. Work, family, his passion for cars, and helping others. He was always on the move, always planning something, learning something new, or taking on a new challenge. 

Now, many of his plans will remain unfulfilled. He would never see his children grow up. Many of the plans he had made for the future would remain unrealised. He never made it back home, where he was so dearly awaited...A Russian strike took his life. 

Our sincere condolences go to Maksym’s wife, children, family, and all those who knew and loved him. We share in their grief. For the team, it is an immeasurable loss and a profound tragedy. 

Zaporizhstal provided support to the family of Maksym Shekhovtsov, as well as to the families of all colleagues whose lives were taken by this horrific enemy attack. 

May Maksym Shekhovtsov’s memory live on.