Businesses of SCM, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, and FC Shakhtar have provided more than UAH 12.8 billion ($350 million) in assistance to the country, its military, and civilians over more than three years of war.
The key areas of support include assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), veteran programs (including support for the defenders of Mariupol), education initiatives (humanitarian and charitable), support for civilians and communities, as well as advocacy projects.
Support for Ukraine’s defenders is provided systematically within the framework of the military project «Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front». Through this initiative, military units across the country receive free supplies of ammunition, vehicles, armored personnel carriers, ambulances for military medics, drones, thermal imagers, scopes, radios, cameras, clothing and footwear, medical kits and tourniquets, fuel, and other essential equipment. In particular, Metinvest has developed and delivered over 800 steel shelters for frontline soldiers. Based on these shelters, two underground hospitals built to NATO standards are already operating. The metallurgical group also manufactures, free of charge, anti-drone steel screens to protect Western equipment such as Abrams, Leopard, and Bradley vehicles, as well as Ukrainian “Kozak” armored vehicles.
DTEK has allocated over UAH 1 billion (around $35 million) for military and humanitarian aid. The company supplied free electricity worth approximately UAH 350 million to more than 100 critical infrastructure facilities, including hospitals, military sites, bakeries, and water treatment plants in Kyiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. DTEK specialists have restored electricity supplies to millions of households in frontline areas.
Rinat Akhmetov has additionally allocated about UAH 1.6 billion ($40 million) to the “Heart of Azovstal” project, which provides comprehensive support to the defenders of Mariupol and their families. Assistance is delivered through five programs. In particular, the At Home program launched in 2023, enabling defenders with Group I and II disabilities to receive their own housing. In 2025, 50 more apartments are planned to be allocated to Mariupol’s defenders, bringing the total to 250 apartments in three years. The project also implements the Future program, designed to provide comprehensive support for adaptation to civilian life and personal reintegration.
Ukrtelecom continues to provide military and humanitarian assistance, ensuring vital connectivity across Ukraine. The company has allocated around UAH 50 million to the military. Ukrtelecom has restored and maintained access to communication services in approximately 90% of the settlements covered by its network before the full-scale invasion. The company has also equipped 503 school bomb shelters with Wi-Fi and reconnected numerous medical and educational institutions. Ukrtelecom continues to restore services nationwide following frequent cyberattacks.
First Ukrainian International Bank (PUMB) has allocated more than UAH 916 million (over $22 million) for social initiatives and direct military assistance. PUMB also launched the social project “We Are of the Same Blood” to support Ukrainian soldiers and civilians by supplying blood. Overall, more than 200,000 lives have been saved through this initiative.
The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has provided Ukrainians with 700,000 units of medicine and more than 13 million food packages since 2014. It has launched new projects to support the rehabilitation of children and adults affected by shelling, as well as programs providing heaters and social housing for over one hundred displaced families.
FC Shakhtar Donetsk systematically supports the development of youth football, athletes, displaced persons, members of Ukraine’s defense forces, and residents of war-affected regions. The club arranged and fully covered treatment in the U.S. for “Azovstal” defender and marine Mykhailo Dianov, organized treatment and rehabilitation for severely wounded soldier Vitalii Shumei in Barcelona, for fighter and Shakhtar fan Yevhenii Larchenko in Israel, and supports rehabilitation for Bohdan Kush, a Ukrainian Armed Forces fighter and brother of a Shakhtar player.
“Supporting Ukraine’s defenders is part of the contribution that Rinat Akhmetov’s businesses are making toward ending this war and securing Ukraine’s victory. Nearly 15,000 SCM employees have heroically served in the Armed Forces. Supporting them, helping the military, and doing so systematically and effectively every day is our deliberate choice and our daily expression of gratitude,” - said Natalya Yemchenko, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of SCM, in her address marking Defenders’ Day.
BACKGROUND
System Capital Management (SCM) is an international investment company founded by Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist Rinat Akhmetov. SCM invests in more than 250 companies worldwide, employing around 150,000 people across Ukraine, the U.S., Europe, and globally. The SCM portfolio covers key industries, including energy (DTEK B.V.), metals and mining (Metinvest B.V.), natural resources, logistics (Lemtrans), agriculture (HarvEast), telecommunications (Ukrtelecom), real estate, and finance (PUMB).
SCM actively develops large-scale projects with international partners in various global markets, with operations spanning Italy, Poland, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
SCM also owns FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine’s leading football club and a regular participant in the UEFA Champions League.
