Italian TV channel Sportitalia has broadcast an 18-minute prime-time feature on FC Shakhtar Donetsk and SCM's "Invest in Ukraine" initiative. Natalya Yemchenko, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at SCM, and Darijo Srna, Sporting Director of FC Shakhtar Donetsk, were interviewed in Monaco. Ms Yemchenko said SCM is using the platform of the UEFA Champions League to call on international business to invest in Ukraine and join its resilience and future rebuilding. The feature comes ahead of Shakhtar's match against Inter on 21 October 2026.
What did Sportitalia broadcast?
Sportitalia, a leading TV channel in Italy, recently broadcast an 18-minute feature on Shakhtar and SCM in prime time. It was recorded in Monaco. The feature is part of the "Invest in Ukraine" initiative, under which Shakhtar plays the league phase of the 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League in shirts carrying the call to "Invest in Ukraine" and the SCM logo.
Why is SCM using the Champions League to call for investment in Ukraine?
Ms Yemchenko said it was important for SCM to take the opportunity of the Champions League platform to call on international business to invest in Ukraine and to join in the country's resilience and future rebuilding. Shakhtar will play at least eight matches against leading European clubs in the league phase. SCM is calling on others to invest alongside it: since the start of the full-scale invasion, SCM companies have invested UAH 168.5 billion ($4.3 billion) in Ukraine.
Why does Shakhtar matter to Ukraine during the war?
Ms Yemchenko described Shakhtar as a Ukrainian symbol of strength and resilience. Mr Srna, who previously played for an Italian club, spoke in fluent Italian about how the war shapes the club's daily life. Shakhtar has been in exile from its home city, Donetsk, since 2014. He said this makes the club unique, because for Shakhtar the ideas of "home" and "away" have become blurred. If the team plays in Kyiv on a Saturday and has a Champions League match in London on the Tuesday, it must leave for Poland by train that same Saturday evening.
What links Ukraine with the United Kingdom and Italy?
Ms Yemchenko spoke about the link between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, where Shakhtar hosts its Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge in London this season. She also spoke about SCM's relationship with the Italian market through our steel company Metinvest, which has had production in Italy for more than 10 years.
When does Shakhtar play Inter?
Shakhtar plays Inter on 21 October 2026 in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League.
Watch the full feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL-YbgDOWRA
