“Heart of Azovstal”: 2023 results and 2024 plans – News

Rinat Akhmetov’s “Heart of Azovstal” project for 2023 was supported by 4,052 defenders of Mariupol. In total, the organization provided more than 8,500 aids, including support after returning from captivity, treatment, prosthetics, training and own apartments. The amount of aid to the defenders of the project amounted to almost UAH 500 million.

In 2024, the amount of assistance will also be up to UAH 500 million. “Heart of Azovstal” plans for the project community to grow to 7,000 defenders of Mariupol and their families by the end of 2024. They will receive more than 10,000 grants for 2024. At the end of two years, it is planned to provide 20,000 aids.

Main plans for 2024

• to issue at least 100 more apartments to the defenders of Mariupol who received disabilities of the 1st and ll groups during the defense of the city;
• to create a system of sports clubs for soldiers of the Mariupol garrison in partnership with FC “Shakhar”;
• launch the Center for the Future of Veterans, the purpose of which is to support soldiers, primarily commissioned soldiers, in finding and realizing the next big goal after service. This is a full range of support – from training to help in starting your own business.

The Heart of Azovstal support ecosystem includes 7 assistance programs: “Return”, “Health”, “Family”, “Protection”, “Home”, “Future” and “Sports”.

“All our programs meet the real needs of soldiers. During their development, we constantly consulted with representatives of the Mariupol garrison. After all, one of the principles of our work is “nothing for defenders without defenders”. All programs are combined into a single support ecosystem. This allows us to provide comprehensive support to our steel defenders exactly where it is most needed today, taking into account current state support programs, with maximum respect for the dignity of soldiers. Our philosophy is to be next to the defender on the way from rehabilitation to self-realization,” said Ksenia Sukhova, director of the NGO “Heart of Azovstal”.

530 defenders of Mariupol received help under the “Health” program in 2023. It covers treatment and operations, physical and psychological rehabilitation, prosthetics, body screening and health insurance. 152 defense personnel were trained under the “Heart of Azovstal. Future” program.

During the year of operation, “Heart of Azovstal” established active cooperation with the public sector and state authorities. The organization cooperates with the Office of the Ombudsman, the Coordination Headquarters, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Social Policy. “Heart of Azovstal” involves leading medical institutions, rehabilitation and prosthetics centers, and professional psychologists to provide quality assistance to defenders.

In November 2023, the organization launched a new “Home” program, according to which defenders of Mariupol with the I or II group of disabilities receive their own apartments. Within the framework of the pilot project, by the end of 2023, the apartments received 15 defenders. Given that the pilot was very successful, in 2024 “Heart of Azovstal” plans to provide its own housing for at least 100 defenders.

“This is a very important program for us, which was a personal initiative of the founder of “Heart of Azovstal” Rinat Akhmetov. It is not just about housing. We strive to cover the everyday needs of boys and girls with disabilities so that they can concentrate on their future. We want that after seriously injured and captured, our steel defenders found for themselves the next big mission, new meanings in civilian life. Our task for the future is to create a road map for them to achieve new goals and support them on this path. We believe that such examples will inspire others veterans. After all, we show that there is life after service. It can be bright. And there are people in Ukraine who are ready to support soldiers on this path,” said Nataliya Yemchenko, a member of the supervisory board of the NGO “Heart of Azovstal”.

The “Heart of Azovstal” project was founded by Rinat Akhmetov on February 16, 2023 as part of the “Steel Front” initiative. The businessman allocated UAH 1 billion to support the defenders of Mariupol and their families.