Throughout its 17 year history, Metinvest has invested in Ukraine's development and prosperity. In the face of a full-scale invasion, it has mobilised all its resources to bring the day of victory closer. Responding to the country’s current needs, the Group has also worked with a focus on the future, making plans to rebuild the state after the victory is achieved. Metinvest today is not just a Ukrainian business, it is a reliable pillar of Ukraine's defence, economic and social sectors.
“We used to be happy that our steel was chosen for building ships, bridges, and majestic structures. And now we are proud that Metinvest's steel is saving the lives of servicemen and women, ensuring their comfort on the front line, and guarding Ukraine's borders. In peacetime, Metinvest's team was a pillar of Ukraine's economic stability, and now our people are fighting for the independence of their homeland on the front lines and in the rear. Yes, we did not choose war. However, it is our choice to fight. For freedom, self-identity, and the future that victory will bring.”
Yuriy Ryzhenkov
CEO of Metinvest
On the eve of the Group’s 17th anniversary, we report on Metinvest's major projects over the 15 months of full-scale warfare
Metinvest's businesses are operating under the constant threat of enemy shelling. The Group's assets in Mariupol and Avdiivka have been affected by military action, and Mariupol has been temporarily occupied. In addition, Metinvest's operations have been impacted by logistical constraints, power outages, increases in production costs and decreases in the prices for certain products since the start of the full-scale invasion. At the same time, the Group's other businesses are operating at different levels of capacity utilisation, depending on safety, logistics, energy, economic and other factors.
Since the beginning of 2023, after the stabilisation of the electricity supply, the Group has gradually increased the utilisation of its mining assets in Kryvyi Rih to at least 30% of pre-war levels and maintained a focus on pellet production. The restoration of power supply has also ensured more stable operations and flexibility in the product mix at Kamet Steel and the Zaporizhstal JV. Each of these enterprises now operates two blast furnaces
At the end of May, Zaporizhstal's blast furnace No. 3 was shut down for a major overhaul, which is expected to improve the efficiency of the furnace and the entire blast furnace process.
Pokrovske Coal is operating at a high level of capacity utilisation. Construction of mine block No.11 is underway. The enterprise is currently operating five longwalls. Three more longwalls are scheduled to be commissioned by the end of the year.
Metinvest's priority is to take care of the employees who are ensuring the production process. All enterprises have bomb shelters equipped to accommodate people for a long period of time. The shelters have water, food, and medicines.
The most important task of business in wartime is to work together with the whole country to achieve victory. This includes paying taxes, supporting the army and the economy, and taking care of people. In the first quarter of 2023, Metinvest, including its associates and joint ventures, paid over UAH 2.5 billion in taxes and duties to budgets at all levels in Ukraine.
Metinvest continues to fight against theft by the Russian Federation, which illegally removed more than 234,000 tonnes of the company's steel products from Mariupol. In particular, 16 Group companies have filed claims with the European Court of Human Rights against Russia for damages caused to the Group’s property and possessions in the city of Mariupol and other territories of Ukraine since 24 February 2022.
Metinvest joined Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front defence initiative in the first days of the full-scale war and has been helping to strengthen the defence capability of the armed forces. The Group has spent UAH 2 billion for the needs of the Ukrainian army.
In the spring of 2022, Metinvest launched the production of steel used to make plates for body armour. The steel products are thoroughly inspected, and the finished gear is sent to the front lines. In addition, a stock of ready-made plates has been created that the military can receive free of charge upon request.
In a year of war, Metinvest has become one of the largest private donors to the Ukrainian army. In total, the country's defenders received 25,000 helmets and over 150,000 bulletproof vests from the Group, meaning that one in ten bulletproof vests in the army was manufactured or purchased with Metinvest's help.
The Group's special steel is also used to make armoured shields for the operators of large-calibre weapons and protective elements for vehicles operating on the front lines. Metinvest's steel products are also used to manufacture mobile buggies. In the spring of 2023, the Metinvest-SMC, a sales entity of the Group, shipped 3.8 tonnes of rolled steel to the Southern Operational Command, which is enough to equip ten buggies.
Since the start of the full-scale war, the Group's enterprises have manufactured 200 mobile shelters and delivered them to the front line to strengthen trenches. Metinvest has also produced more than 80,000 anti-tank hedgehogs and spiked chains to defend against wheeled vehicles. The Group has provided 43 tonnes of wire rod for the manufacture of mini-bastions, 820 tonnes of sand and 25,000 tonnes of slag and ensured the production of 116,000 construction staples and other items.
Five thousand field stoves manufactured by Metinvest and its partners have helped servicemen and civilians in the frontline regions to survive the winter. The Group also supplied wood and coal to the frontline. It purchased more than 400 generators, multi-charging stations, batteries and portable chargers for the military. In addition, Metinvest has delivered winter uniforms and footwear to the soldiers.
More than 8,000 Metinvest employees are defending the country in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Each of them is provided with a bulletproof vest and a set of warm clothes. The Group has spent UAH 12 million to purchase winter gear.
Metinvest has set up a systematic supply of equipment to the front lines, some of which is purchased abroad. The Ukrainian army has already received 1,200 drones, making Metinvest one of the largest private suppliers of drones to the army. The Group also donated 1,700 thermal imagers and 376 vehicles, including ambulances. The Group provided 1.2 million litres of fuel to run the vehicles.
Metinvest supplied equipment worth UAH 10 million to the newly established Offensive Guard unit, an initiative undertaken by the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The equipment includes night vision devices, distance measuring instruments, aiming sights, binoculars, quadcopters, charging stations, Starlink terminals, tablets and laptops.
The soldiers of the Third Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received equipment for building communication networks, special equipment for armoured personnel carriers and charging stations worth more than UAH 20 million.
Metinvest, together with the PULSE charitable foundation, is developing tactical medicine in Ukraine. The Group has allocated almost UAH 8,5 million to develop military training in the combat zone. In addition, Metinvest delivered 31,500 first aid kits and haemostatic tourniquets to the defence forces.
To support Ukrainian civilians affected by the war, the Group, in coordination with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, created the Saving Lives humanitarian project. Approximately half a million people in 70 communities have already received aid. Around 4,200 tonnes of food, personal care products and other essentials for vulnerable categories of people have been delivered to Ukraine from Poland. This makes Metinvest’sproject one of the largest humanitarian initiatives in Ukraine. Nearly 200 companies from around the world have joined it. Since the project was launched, the volume of assistance from donors has exceeded EUR2.7 million.
Saving Lives is implementing a programme of physical and psychological rehabilitation for Ukrainians affected by the war. In cooperation with the Protez Hub project, it helps members of the military and civilians with amputations to return to a full life. Currently, 48 injured people are undergoing prosthetics and treatment at various stages, 13 of whom have already received prostheses worth up to EUR30,000.
The Saving Lives humanitarian project and the Protez Hub also launched the first online educational portal in Ukraine for prosthetics specialists and injured people. And, together with their partners, they have provided Ukrainians preparing for prosthetics with postoperative care kits. The first batch of 1,000 kits is already on its way to people.
In addition, Saving Lives cares about the mental health of Ukrainians. Metinvest's initiative has joined the Unbreakable Mum project run by the Masha Foundation. One hundred and ninety-four women and children affected by the war have received psychological help.
In addition, Saving Lives and the UN Global Compact Ukraine announced the establishment of psychological rehabilitation and support centres for affected civilians. The first one is scheduled to be opened in Zaporizhzhia in July.
Saving Lives also supports Ukrainian hospitals that are forced to work under a double workload. Medical supplies worth EUR250,000 have been delivered to hospitals in Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske and Avdiivka.
Metinvest is also helping doctors under a separate programme implemented jointly with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Group has allocated around UAH 200 million to support Ukrainian healthcare.
In addition, the Group continues to supply oxygen to medical facilities free of charge to treat coronavirus patients and other oxygen-dependent patients. Since the beginning of 2023, hospitals have received around 350 tonnes of medical oxygen from Metinvest.
In May, Metinvest joined another important initiative. Together with the authorities, the Group will help to rebuild a residential building in Zaporizhzhia that was damaged by an enemy missile attack last year. Once restored, the building, which is an architectural landmark in the city, will have its original appearance,. The business will allocate UAH 50 million for this purpose.
Despite the hostilities, Metinvest managed to evacuate around 20,000 people from Mariupol and Avdiivka. It prepared 6,000 temporary shelters for the displaced people, and launched the “Home for Colleagues” project, under which employees provided accommodation to fellow displaced workers and Metinvest reimbursed the costs. Zaporizhstal has a separate housing refurbishment programme for employees – the company helps residents of Zaporizhzhia with initial repairs or reimburses the costs of repairs.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Group has employed more than 7,300 people at its facilities in Pokrovske, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Kamianske, including more than 1,600 people from Mariupol and Avdiivka. It also offers people the opportunity to retrain for another profession. Currently, Metinvest has more than 900 vacancies available for both internally displaced people and local residents in the cities where it operates.
The Group's employees and their children can study for free at Metinvest Polytechnic, where the second admissions season is underway.
The “Metinvest Together” psychological support service helps Metinvest employees and their families cope with stress and anxiety. Over the first year of its operation, it provided nearly 3,400 individual and group counselling sessions.