Metinvest's enterprises have a program for the reintegration of veterans, because more than a thousand of the company's workers have already returned from the front to production.
Mykola Bobal, a gas man of Zaporizhzhia Coke coke ovens, had joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in March 2022.
"At the beginning, as inexperienced soldiers, we were sent to the Maryinka area – there we gained experience and united well. Then there were very "hot" front lines and heavy battles – Bakhmut, Avdiivka," says Mykola BOBAL.
The man reluctantly remembers what he had to go through. He talks only about his sworn brothers.
"The sworn brothers in our brigade were excellent – reliable, sociable, responsible. Were we scared? Of course, we were. But despite this, there was no panic, because we could rely on each other, felt a reliable support next to each other.
There were cases when it was necessary to evacuate the wounded from the front line, but this could not be done during the shelling. But we took that risk and saved our sworn brothers, even despite the danger to us," the war veteran recalls.
In times of danger at the front line, Mykola Bobal had always been most worried about his family.
"The biggest fear I felt before the battle was not for myself – but for my family. If something happened to me, as it would be reported to my parents, to my wife, how they would survive it. The reassessment of life was drastic," the defender shares.
Mykola Bobal had resigned from the army for family reasons in December 2023. He admits that he had thought a lot about the future.
"Upon returning from the army, I even thought about changing my profession. But as soon as I reached the gate entry, everything has all put back together. I felt, as they say, "among close ones" again. The team gave me a warm welcome, everyone was glad to see me back, supported, helped.
And now I do not regret this choice: the work is interesting, intellectual, the team is good. I don't know what else is needed for normal work – well, except for the war to end and all my comrades to return home," says Mykola.
Currently, 118 workers of Zaporizhzhia Coke serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thirteen defenders have returned to work at their enterprise in the status of a war veteran after being discharged from service.
For veterans at Zaporizhzhia Coke and other Metinvest enterprises, there is a reintegration program, which provides comprehensive support for mobilized employees during service and after demobilization, the company helps in rehabilitation and treatment, retrains and adapts them at the workplace.
As a reminder, recently in Zaporizhzhia, with the participation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the City Council and with the financial support of Metinvest, a veteran space "Veteran PRO. Zaporizhzhia" was created.
For defenders, their families and families of fallen heroes, specialists from the ASC, the Pension Fund, the Employment Center work, qualified specialists provide psychological and legal support, etc.
