Today, 3,022 women work in various professions across Integrated Iron Ore. Over the past challenging years for Ukraine, more and more female employees have been moving into roles traditionally held by men. Currently, three female crusher operators are employed at Metinvest Northern Iron Ore's pelletising shop No. 2, working at the production site for pelletising, as well as raw materials and charge crushing. About tough decisions, high responsibility, and dedication to their profession are shared in our conversation with these women.
Women are increasingly taking on roles such as crusher operators, electric and gas welders, pelletiser operators, rolling stock repair fitters, and dump truck drivers across the country's mining enterprises. While some men have shifted from mining to military service, female colleagues are stepping into their workplaces. They do this voluntarily and consciously, understanding the high level of responsibility involved and making extra efforts.
Юлія ГУРЦКАЯ
Yuliia Hurtskaia has been working at the pelletising shop No. 2 of Metinvest Northern Iron Ore since 2015. She joined the enterprise as a conveyor operator. She quickly figured out the process, adapted to the team, and thought that professional changes in her life were unlikely to be needed. However, February 2026 divided the life of every Ukrainian in two. Yuliia's husband went to the front. After some time, he stopped getting in touch. Later, the woman was informed that her husband was considered missing. Since then, Yuliia could rely only on herself.
"Supporting my family financially has become more difficult. That is why I decided to advance professionally. I already had a crusher operator certificate, having completed a qualification course a few years earlier. However, I still needed to master the related profession of slinger. I trained, successfully passed the exam, and started my new role as a crusher operator. I must say that any difficult issues that arise during my shifts are resolved with the help of my colleagues ‒ head of the production site Denys Khanchenko and miller Oleksandr Omelchenko," said Yuliia HURTSKAIA.
Наталія ЧОРНОКУН
For more than 20 years, Nataliia Chornokun has also been working in the pelletising shop No. 2. She received her first entry in her employment record at a very young age. Today, Nataliia is a qualified fifth-grade crusher operator. Every shift, she is responsible for the crushing equipment, monitors its operation, performs maintenance, and ensures the quality of the finished products.
"For two decades, I worked in the shop as a conveyor operator, and in May 2025 I changed my profession. I studied to become a crusher operator. I acquired new knowledge through our personnel recruitment and development department. It was not difficult for me because I was already familiar with all the equipment and processes. Indeed, crusher operators have broader responsibilities and more equipment to maintain. But women can handle everything. If situations arise that require more physical strength, I ask the production site head or the foreman, and everything is resolved. I always go to work with pleasure and high motivation because at home three daughters are waiting for me," said Nataliia CHORNOKUN.
Ірина ПРИЙМА
Before joining Metinvest Northern Iron Ore, Iryna Pryima tried different professions. She recalls that once, while working for a cleaning company, she was sent on an assignment to the pelletising shop No. 2. Together with her colleagues, she cleaned the amenity and production premises of the shop. At that moment, she became interested in the work of the process personnel and later joined the plant as a trainee conveyor operator. After a year, the woman decided to advance her qualification and obtain a crusher operator certificate. However, there were no vacancies for this position before the full-scale war. They appeared later.
"When the war started, my husband and I did not leave. Even when the shop was at a forced downtime for several months. We believed that the plant would resume its operation and our hands and knowledge would be needed. That is exactly what happened. I enjoy my work, and we have a wonderful team. You can always rely on the help of the production site head Denys Khanchenko and foreman Oleksandr Nitsuk. Outside of work, my family, warm meetings with colleagues, and an unshakable belief in victory keep me going," shared Iryna PRYIMA.
According to the deputy head of production and planning at the pelletising shop No. 2, Andrii Steblii, the leading roles in the pelletising shop – traditionally held by men – were considered to be sinter operators, mill operators, and crusher operators. Today, however, the challenges of the times are increasingly erasing gender boundaries. Female employees with sufficient experience and a desire to develop are acquiring new skills and taking on more complex roles, performing them with dedication, responsibility, and quality.
