SCM and our steel company Metinvest are actively expanding the manufacturing of defensive steel structures to safeguard military personnel, civilians and critical infrastructure across Ukraine. During the recent War 26 conference in Kyiv, Metinvest outlined its latest engineering developments and the strategic requirements for scaling up production.
These efforts are central to Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front, the largest private initiative in Ukraine helping the defenders. The initiative maintains an entire focus on developing, producing and providing defensive equipment that saves lives. Since the start of the war, Rinat Akhmetov and his businesses have allocated over $368 million for the defence and humanitarian needs of Ukraine.
Metinvest has supported military personnel and civilians since 2014. Following the full-scale invasion, the company accelerated its engineering efforts to design highly durable underground steel shelters. Initially deployed to reinforce Zaporizhzhia, these structures are now installed along the entire front line, from Kharkiv to Kherson. The shelters have been continuously refined to meet military specifications. The Steel Front uses armoured steel to provide these shelters, which now serve as the foundation for two underground field hospitals and dozens of command posts.
Beyond the front line, Metinvest provides critical solutions to protect civilian infrastructure. Above-ground shelters with reinforced walls have been installed at Ukrainian ports and thermal power plants. These structures protect personnel from shrapnel during shelling, ensuring that vital energy and export facilities remain operational.
Furthermore, the Citadel project focuses on constructing fully equipped shelters to protect the general population during missile and drone attacks. A key advantage of these steel structures is the rapid construction time of three to four weeks, compared to the three to six months required for concrete bunkers. Projects have already been completed in Borodianka, with more underway in Zaporizhzhia.
To maximise output, Metinvest requires predictable orders over the next one to six years. Visibility on future demand will enable the company to recruit additional staff and utilise available sites outside core production facilities. Metinvest is currently coordinating with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development to define these schedules. SCM and Metinvest operate with the utmost goal to help Ukrainians survive and withstand the war against russia. We are ready to meet domestic demand and expand our protective solutions to international markets.
