Since the onset of the full-scale war, Metinvest Group has allocated UAH 7.5 billion to support Ukraine and its citizens, of which more than UAH 4 billion has been spent on the needs of the army as part of Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front defence initiative. The Company remains a reliable pillar of Ukraine on the way to the victory.
From the first day of the full-scale war, Metinvest mobilised all its resources to help Ukraine to defeat the enemy. More than half of the fund allocated - UAH 4 billion - is aimed to support Defence Forces systematically as part of Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front defence initiative.
Metinvest has joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine to create defence lines. In addition to the company's specialists, Metinvest provides materials and special equipment to construct defence lines to prevent the enemy from advancing. Currently, more than 200 km of fortification structures have been built in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia areas. Fortifications are equipped with manufactured by enterprises underground hideouts which are called "kryjivka".
Metinvest's support to the Ukrainian army also includes other steel products, such as anti-mine trawls, anti-drone protective screens, lancet catchers, plates for ammunition, and armour for front vehicle protection. The company manufactures mobile buggy vehicles from steel supplied by Metinvest-SMC free of charge. As of today, more than 150 units have been sent to the front line.
To strengthen the defence capability of the Ukrainian army, Metinvest has set up a systematic supply of military equipment to the front lines: reconnaissance drones, military optics, communications equipment, backup power systems, vehicles for various purposes, including specialised ambulances, high-speed boats, etc. Metinvest is currently the largest donor to the army among private companies.
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As part of Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front defence initiative, Metinvest has allocated UAH 4 billion to support Defence Forces. The total amount of aid to the state is UAH 7.5 billion.
Currently, over 8,000 employees of Metinvest and its joint ventures and associates serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Over 1,000 people have already come back from the army and returned to their work at the enterprises. These are veterans of the ATO and full-scale war. To help defenders on their way to adaptation to civil life, Metinvest implements a complex reintegration ecosystem. It is based on the principles of responsibility, consistency and internal fairness.
The company invites veterans to apply for employment - 4,000 vacancies in engineering and technical specialities are open for this purpose. Both former employees and new recruits to the labour market are welcome. If necessary, they can undergo training or retraining, or get a higher education at Metinvest Polytechnic on favourable terms. Veterans are offered physical and psychological rehabilitation at the company's expense; at the same time, teams themselves have training on interaction with demobilised colleagues.
This year, Metinvest has won the nomination for "The best rehabilitation programme for veterans" according to the rating "Best Employers of Ukraine 2024." Having its own unique experience in this field, the company is open to partnership and further development. In particular, in August, Metinvest agreed to cooperate with America's Warrior Partnership (AWP), an American organization of war veterans. The goal of this collaboration is to share experiences and provide assistance in implementing projects for veterans in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Metinvest ensures that its businesses in Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske, and Pokrovsk operate. They operate at different levels of workload, taking into account security factors, staff availability, power supply, as well as logistical and economic factors. This allows Metinvest to fully meet its obligations to pay salaries to employees and taxes to the state. In the first six months of 2024, the company transferred UAH 9.9 billion to the budgets of all levels, enabling cities to continue implementing social programmes. This is an important contribution to supporting the economy of Ukraine and regions near the front line.
Just as before the war, Metinvest's priority is the well-being and safety of its employees, their families and the residents of the cities where it operates. As part of "Saving lives", a humanitarian initiative launched in the first days of the full-scale war, 500,000 people received aid.
About 4,200 tonnes of food, personal care products and other essentials for vulnerable people have been delivered thanks to donors and partners. Hospitals were provided with medicines and equipment worth UAH 9.5 million. The project also focuses on the physical and psychological rehabilitation of military and civilians. In particular, this summer, "Saving lives" organised a rehabilitation in the Carpathians for 40 mothers, wives and children of the heroes who fell in the war. For three weeks, professional psychologists from the Masha Foundation's "Unbreakable Mom" project worked with them.
While helping the country during the war, Metinvest is already making plans for the future. The company presented the "Steel Dream", a concept for rebuilding housing and social infrastructure. In addition, it continues to take steps to implement its green transformation strategy.
Yuriy RYZHENKOV, CEO of Metinvest Group, "Steel heart beats together with Ukraine since Metinvest was founded and in the most challenging times in its history. Over two and a half years of full-scale war, our company has become a support for defenders, veterans, civilians and employees. We believe that these efforts will result in victory over the enemy. And over Mariupol, Avdiivka and other occupied cities, the blue and yellow flag will once again fly."
