During a year and a half of a full-scale war, the Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group allocated almost UAH 4 billion to support the state and its citizens, of which UAH 2 billion went to the needs of the army as part of the Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front military initiative.

Since the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion, the company has become a reliable pillar of the country in an extremely difficult time, strengthening the defense capability of the army, caring for its employees and Ukrainian civilians, and supporting the economy, according to a company press release on Thursday.

Yuriy Ryzhenkov, General Director of Metinvest, noted that the group has been investing in the development of production and the well-being of Ukraine for all 17 years of its existence.

"With the beginning of the full-scale war, we faced another, and most important challenge – to help the country to defeat the enemy and preserve its sovereignty and independence. Therefore, over this past 18 months, the Group's enterprises have become not just witnesses, but also active participants in the struggle. We work for the needs of the front line, to deliver humanitarian aid to the victims, and, despite everything, to continue to make Ukrainian steel," the top manager said.

Metinvest's businesses are operating under the constant threat of enemy shelling. The Group's assets in Mariupol and Avdiivka have been affected by enemy actions, and Mariupol is 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.

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 Kryvy Rih to at least 30% of pre-war levels and maintained a focus on production of high grade pellets and other iron ore goods.

The restoration of power supply has also ensured more stable operations and flexibility in the product mix at Kamet Steel, which is operating two blast furnaces, and the Zaporizhstal JV, which is operating three blast furnaces. Zaporizhstal's blast furnace No.3 resumed operation after being shut down in the late spring. A major overhaul made it possible to increase 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. In July, the four-year modernisation of the flotation department at Sviato-Varvarynska Beneficiation Factory was successfully completed, despite the invasion.

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.

Since 1 June 2023, Metinvest has introduced an additional bonus for employees of its manufacturing and repair enterprises in Ukraine. The size of the bonus can reach 25% of the employee's base salary or more – depending on the team's performance.

The most important task of business in the wartime is to work together with the whole country to achieve victory. This includes paying taxes, supporting the defence forces and the economy, and taking care of people. In the first quarter of 2023, Metinvest, including its associates and joint ventures, paid over UAH 6.3 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 Group's steel products from Mariupol. In particular, 27 Group companies have filed claims with the European Court of Human Rights against Russia for damages caused to Metinvest's property and possessions in the city of Mariupol and other territories of Ukraine since February 24, 2022.