Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest Group will produce steel for the Ukrainian trident that will replace the Soviet coat of arms on the Motherland Monument in Kyiv free of charge and become a financial partner of the project to reconstruct the monument.
The design was developed by the V. M. Shymanovskyi Ukrainian Institute of Steel Construction. The Ukrainian trident on the shield is a three-dimensional structure identical to the old coat of arms. It will be made of two types of metal: Metinvest’s 1.7 mm thick stainless steel and 1.5 mm thick steel from overseas. As a reminder, the Motherland Monument itself was made of steel from Zaporizhstal, Azovstal and Ilyich Steel, all enterprises in the Group.
To create the trident, Metinvest engaged specialists from several of its Ukrainian enterprises. The rolled steel for the new symbol was produced by employees of the Group’s joint venture, Zaporizhstal, which recreated the steel grade from which the monument was made.
The project sculptor is Ukrainian artist Oleksii Pergamenshchyk.
Commenting on the news, Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of Metinvest Group, said:
“Metinvest is one of the partners in a large-scale project to de-communise the Motherland Monument. We believe that one of the most important symbols of the invincibility of the Ukrainian people should be emblazoned with a trident made of high-quality Ukrainian steel. It is a symbol of Ukrainian identity that we are proud of. Specifically for this project, we have recreated the steel grade from which the entire monument was made in 1981. And it is made of Zaporizhstal steel. We continue to support Ukrainians in the most difficult times for everyone, helping the army and civilians and being a pillar of the country’s economy.“
The installation of the composition is due to begin in July and be completed on 24 August.
The monument reconstruction project is being implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine as part of the ongoing process of de-communisation and de-russification in the country. Alongside Metinvest, the project’s partners and financial donors include Monobank, KAN Development, Nova Poshta, PrivatBank, ATB and Oschadbank. The funds for the reconstruction are being gathered by the Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE). It cooperates with the Heritage Rescue headquarters to provide assistance to cultural institutions and facilities during Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.
To recap, a survey regarding the USSR coat of arms on the shield of the Motherland Monument was conducted using the Diia application. Nearly 800,000 Ukrainians voted, and 85% wanted the coat of arms replaced with the trident.
Metinvest is one of the largest and most experienced steelmakers in Ukraine and a globally renowned manufacturer of products for steel construction. Among the well known structures made from the Group’s steel are the Darnytskyi Bridge in Kyiv, the new safe confinement over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex in Kyiv, The Shard skyscraper in London, the St George Bridge in Genoa, and hundreds of other projects completed in Ukraine and around the world.
