Steel for the Armed Forces: how Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest mastered production for the military industry
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Since the beginning of the great war in Ukraine, every business had to adapt to war rails. For some, it looked like the transportation of production to the west of the country, for someone – as an increase in donations to the Armed Forces, and for the Ukrainian mining and metallurgical giant Metinvest Group – as the beginning of production for the Armed Forces. “To do everything possible for victory” – this is the company’s task within the framework of its own military initiative, the Steel Front, set by shareholder Rinat Akhmetov to Metinvest. The company has become a reliable support for Ukraine in the defense industry. Therefore, from the first days of the invasion, enterprises that before the war produced steel products for the construction of skyscrapers and bridges began to produce a whole range of military equipment for the Armed Forces. The equipment, which is provided free of charge to the defense forces of Ukraine, protects and saves soldiers every day and makes their lives easier.
“During a full-scale war, we discovered a new “saving formula” of steel, from which specialists manufacture metal products for the needs of the military. This is an atypical product for mining and metallurgical enterprises. But it is extremely important for the army, and therefore for the victory of Ukraine,” says Yuriy Ryzhenkov. general director of Metinvest Group.
Metal for defense and household use
Since the beginning of the war, more than 80,000 anti-tank hedgehogs and spiked chains against wheeled vehicles have been made from Metinvest steel, which are on guard in different parts of the country. The company’s enterprises provided 20 tons of wire rod for the production of mini-bastions for the protection of Ukrainian cities. Also, 40,000 metal staples produced at the Group’s assets are helping to build protective structures.
Metinvest steel has become irreplaceable in army life as well. Field stoves for heating and cooking are especially helpful in cold weather: 5,000 rubles were given to military personnel and residents of front-line regions.
In addition to stoves, the company’s partners made 300 demining cats for demining territories, 60 fire extinguishers and 126 adapters for fire hoses from Metinvest steel.
In addition, one of the company’s enterprises produced five multi-person shower complexes for use in the field, as well as small mining shovels.
Armor for people and machines
At the beginning of spring 2022, Metinvest specialists created armored steel, which is used to make plates for body armor. Metal products are fired and carefully inspected. Ready body armor is sent to the front. Metinvest also provides armor to policemen, combat medics, rescue workers, utility workers and war journalists. In total, the company produced and purchased 150,000 bulletproof vests abroad, which is one in ten in the Armed Forces.
Steel armored shields are another development of Metinvest. They protect machine gunners and operators of other large-caliber weapons from enemy fire.
From special steel, the company manufactures protective elements for front-line vehicles – SUVs, medical transport, as well as utility vehicles. Another 3.8 tons of metal were received by the Southern Operational Command for the production of buggies – compact and maneuverable cars. This amount of steel is enough for 10 front-line minicars.
“Steel hideouts”
One of Metinvest’s own developments is mobile shelters for strengthening trenches, or “steel shelters”. The metal capsules sink one and a half meters underground and withstand the impact of 152-millimeter artillery shells. Inside there are beds, compartments for storing things and weapons, a removable storage floor, a place for stoves, an emergency exit. Six fighters can be accommodated here at the same time. The shelter can be easily disassembled and quickly moved between combat positions.
Capsules are manufactured from corrugated steel at Metinvest enterprises. 170 such shelters are already protecting the lives of fighters in Avdiivka, Pokrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Bakhmut and other hot spots.
Metinvest is currently working on the development of a shelter prototype that can also be used to protect civilians.
Despite the loss of control over Azovstal and MMK named after Ilyich, Mariupol steel continues to work for the victory of Ukraine. In Turkey, the latest corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa was built for the Ukrainian fleet from the pre-war batch of steel enterprises.
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