Ukrainian entrepreneur Rinat Akhmetov has decided to continue the “Heart of Azovstal” charity project for 2025, allocating an additional 600 million hryvnia.
The total budget for the program to support the defenders of Mariupol over three years was 1.6 billion hryvnia.
Over the two years of its work, the project supported more than 7,000 defenders of the city personally or through their family members, providing over 22,000 different types of assistance.
This became part of the large-scale support that SCM businesses, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and the Shakhtar football club provide to the country – already 11.3 billion hryvnia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Comprehensive support for heroes
The project operates in seven areas: physical and psychological rehabilitation, prosthetics, providing housing to military personnel with disabilities of groups I and II, support in obtaining education and employment.
Rinat Akhmetov stressed the importance of continuing the program, given that thousands of Mariupol defenders remain in captivity.
“This is our gratitude for the feat they accomplished while defending Ukrainian Mariupol. We will wait for everyone who defends Mariupol and will do everything possible to ensure their dignified life,” the entrepreneur said.
Development plans for 2025
The program is expanding its activities by introducing innovative approaches to supporting veterans:
- Providing 50 apartments to defenders with disabilities as part of the “Houses” program.
- Implementing a post-traumatic growth methodology with the American organization Boulder Crest.
- Creating an educational program on entrepreneurship for veterans with the partner Dog Tag.
- Increasing the veteran-centricity of Ukrainian communities together with America’s Warrior Partnership.
- Forming a sustainable community of Mariupol defenders.
- Publication of the book “M86: Chronicle of the Defense of Mariupol” to advocate for the release of prisoners.
Over the three years of the “At home” program, 250 defenders of the city will receive apartments.
Five participants will undergo training in the United States and become the first certified post-traumatic growth mentors in Ukraine.
Systemic Assistance
“Heart of Azovstal” is a humanitarian part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative, which systematically supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine with equipment and engineering solutions.
Recently, the 157th Mechanized Brigade received assistance worth UAH 74 million, including transport, drones, and specialized equipment.
At the same time, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has donated almost 13.5 million food packages since 2014 as part of the “Saving Lives” program.
The Metinvest Group invested 70 million hryvnias in the reconstruction of Kamenskoye hospitals and the purchase of new trams.
The decision to continue the project demonstrates a long-term commitment to supporting the defenders of Mariupol and a willingness to ensure a decent future for each hero returned from captivity.
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