Confident, forceful, hard-working – these are the women of Zaporizhstal. They know how to take responsibility, work tirelessly and maintain a high pace even in the most difficult times. And yet, they remain gentle, charming and attentive to those around them. It is in this combination of strength and grace that their unique inner resilience lies.
Since the start of the full-scale war, an even greater burden of responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of Ukrainian women. They work, often taking on traditionally male-dominated professions, preserve family comfort and faith in the future, volunteer, support and await loved ones from the front – and themselves stand up to defend Ukraine. And in these difficult, dark times, each finds her own source of strength to keep moving forward and carry on living.
Almost 2,200 women work at Zaporizhstal today, each with her own story. We share the stories of three female employees at the plant – different in character and life circumstances, each with her own story of strength and resilience.
Energy of Movement
Nadiia MAKSAK is an electrical fitter specialising in the repair and maintenance of signalling, centralisation and interlocking systems for Zaporizhstal’s rail transport. It is a complex and demanding job that requires technical knowledge, attention to detail and the ability to make quick decisions. Nadiia is the only woman in her team, as the profession is considered typically male.
In almost 40 years of service, she has become an experienced specialist: she is responsible for the proper functioning of the equipment on which the safe operation of the plant’s internal railway transport depends – track switches, signalling and communication systems.
"Not everyone would take on this kind of work: you need to be an expert on the equipment, be able to assess a situation quickly and make well-considered decisions. The safety of traffic and the smooth running of the railway transport at the plant depend on this," adds Nadiia.
For Nadiia, metallurgy is also a family affair: her husband works in the same department. In time, their children also chose Zaporizhstal: first their eldest son, and later their youngest. The parents help them master the intricacies of working at the metallurgical giant, sharing their experience and supporting them throughout their professional careers.
Sport adds variety to Nadiia’s working days. For many years she practised athletics, took part in the plant’s sports competitions and won numerous times, as evidenced by her many awards.
When asked how she manages to balance such a demanding and responsible job, family and sport so skilfully, Nadiia replies simply:
"That’s just the sort of person I am – I constantly need to be on the move. That’s why I’m always moving forward – both in life and in my work, which demands a great deal of responsibility. It’s important to move easily through life, and it’s not that difficult to do so when you have reliable people by your side. That’s exactly how it is for me – so I’m a lucky woman!"
Job that makes a difference
Snizhana PYLYPCHUK works as a crane operator in the hot rolling mill at Zaporizhstal. She joined the plant in 2011 after completing her training and has been working in the hot rolling mill ever since. During this time, she has worked in various sections, and for the last ten years she has been involved in product shipment.
Every day, Snizhana operates the crane, moving multi-tonne loads. The job requires attentiveness, precision and confidence in every movement.
"My friends sometimes joke that I’m so small, yet I work on such a huge machine. But for me, it’s just routine practice. With every passing year, you gain more experience and learn something new."
The hardest challenge for Snizhana today is being separated from her family. Snizhana’s greatest dream is to embrace her loved ones and those close to her heart, who are not with her at the moment. While the war stands in the way of this, her work and the support of her colleagues remain a reliable source of strength for her.
"Doing what you love, what you enjoy, and being surrounded by like-minded people – that is the foundation of ordinary human happiness. Because even in dark times, you feel solid ground beneath your feet, and you realise that all difficulties will pass, but what fills your life with meaning will always remain with you."
In her spare time, Snizhana creates beadwork pictures: she says that such a painstaking hobby helps her take her mind off things a little and organise her thoughts.
Keeping the home front going
Like many Ukrainian women, the life of Olena HOTOVKINA, a fitter specialising in control and measuring instruments and automation systems at Zaporizhstal, changed in February 2022. In the early months of the full-scale war, she joined the volunteer movement: together with other concerned people, she collected aid for displaced persons and delivered essential items to families who had been forced to leave their homes.
Just two months after the start of the full-scale invasion, her husband – also an employee of Zaporizhstal – went to defend Ukraine. Since then, he has been carrying out combat missions in Donetsk region. This has only strengthened her desire to help and keep the home front strong.
"I’m very proud of my husband. He started out as an artilleryman, and now he operates drones. He’s good at it. I understand that he’s out there protecting us, so I must be strong here – supporting the family, working, helping. Everyone has their own responsibilities now."
Eventually, the volunteers’ efforts also turned to supporting the military. Together with like-minded people, they prepared food for the front line, sent essential supplies to the soldiers, and helped organise fundraising – including for the units where her husband serves.
Today, Olena continues to work at the plant. She has been at Zaporizhstal for twenty years. Her work involves maintaining control, instrumentation and automation systems, on which the stable operation of production equipment depends. Her area of responsibility covers the instrumentation of the fourth blast furnace.
Sometimes, she admits, she runs out of strength. At such moments, simple things help – getting behind the wheel, turning on the music, taking a short drive around town or going to the gym.
"It can be tough; sometimes I feel like crying. But then I remember how far I’ve come. The children say, ‘That’s our mum’ – and that’s very inspiring. And my husband is always supportive: when I say it’s hard, he replies ‘Look at how much we’ve already been through.’ I feel I’ve become stronger than I was before."
These women’s stories are different – as are their experiences, journeys and sources of strength. But what unites them all is a sincere desire to hold on, support their loved ones and carry on with their lives even in the most difficult times.
"We don’t have the luxury of being weak right now. We must be strong. So, I wish all women strength, lightness, beauty, happiness, health and peace as soon as possible – so that we may all live in a peaceful, prosperous and kind country," adds Olena Hotovkina.
