Yuriy Ryzhenkov: We help the AFU, territorial defense and have deployed the humanitarian front

To avoid a man-made catastrophe, we carried out hot conservation of our enterprises at the first approach of hostilities. First we stopped both plants in Mariupol, then the same thing was done in Zaporizhzhya - when the first missiles and bombings began in the city, we stopped Zaporizhstal. At the same time, we have a fully operational Kametstal in Kamianske and 30-40% of MPP in Kryvyi Rih. Of course, everything is limited by logistics - we simply can not ship more.

Assistance to the Armed Forces and Territorial defense

Since the beginning of the Russian attack, our companies and our partners have switched to the production of anti-tank hedgehogs. To date, Metinvest alone has provided more than 3,500 anti-tank hedgehogs and more than 2,000 concrete shelter blocks.

Now this story continues. According to Rinat Akhmetov's decision, we provide all our partners with free metal needed to make hedgehogs and shelters. At the same time, we are handing over special equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine: as of today more than 50 cars of various applications have been handed over.

Rinat Akhmetov also decided to allocate 10 million euros for the defense equipment purchase. Helmets, bulletproof vests and first aid kits. Today, the first batch of almost 3,000 bulletproof vests and 500 first aid kits has been purchased. It is headed to Ukraine and will soon be handed over to the territorial defense.

Humanitarian front

As soon as we realized that a negative humanitarian situation could occur, we opened an unprecedented humanitarian front. This is primarily done by Rinat Akhmetov Foundation together with Metinvest, DTEK and other SCM businesses.

On the basis of Metinvest Poland, we have opened a transshipment hub, where we accumulate humanitarian aid from different European countries - Romania, Germany, Netherlands, the Baltic countries, as well as Poland itself. From there, aid is sent to Ukraine and sorted at a humanitarian center set up in Zaporizhzhya.

After the distribution, the aid will go where it is most needed. In the coming days we expect to deliver more than 80 tons of products. The aid is organized in kits to be distributed to people.

Mariupol metallurgical plants are a refuge for citizens

Specifically, I would like to address the situation in Mariupol. Even before the active phase of the confrontation began, we provided all our bomb shelters at MMKI and Azovstal with water, food and necessities. Since the beginning of the bombing, which, unfortunately, is still going on, the city is blocked, it is impossible to leave. From the first day, we opened our bomb shelters not only for the workers, but for all the citizens, and they were there all the time.

Now the stored water and food is running out, so it is very critical to organize humanitarian aid first of all in Mariupol, as well as in Energodar. Columns have already been formed in Zaporizhzhya, buses and trucks have been refueled and are ready to help Mariupol. Unfortunately, the Russian soldiers do not allow them to pass, although the creation of humanitarian corridors seems to be confirmed at the highest level, but we have been trying to get there for the fourth day and still in vain.