Keeping Ukrainian Industry Running During Wartime
At the GLOBSEC forum in Prague, Metinvest Group CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov highlighted how Ukrainian industry continues to operate amid a full-scale war. The company remains active just 20 kilometers from the front lines in Zaporizhzhia. Ryzhenkov emphasized that Metinvest has been on the front line since the conflict began in 2014, demonstrating the company's resilience and ability to adapt to new circumstances.
Since 2022, the industrial sector has compressed the timeline for developing new solutions to just a few weeks. This was made possible by rapidly adapting civilian technologies for military use. Metinvest has produced hundreds of defense-related products, including:
- underground steel shelters;
- NATO Role 2 mobile hospitals;
- protective systems for Patriot batteries and Leopard tanks.
“We have learned to create entirely new products—from concept to battlefield testing—in weeks instead of years.” - Yuriy Ryzhenkov
The GLOBSEC forum brought together over 2,000 participants from 86 countries, serving as a platform for discussing critical security and cooperation issues. Attendees included representatives from NATO, the EU, national governments, the defense industry, and international business. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Metinvest has contributed 9.3 billion UAH to Ukraine, with 4.9 billion UAH allocated to military aid through the Steel Front initiative.
Key factors enabling industrial companies to operate during wartime include:
- worker safety;
- stable logistics;
- rapid production processes;
- retention of skilled personnel.
Metinvest supplies troops with its own mine-clearing trawls, as well as ammunition, vehicles, and reconnaissance equipment. Ryzhenkov noted that "the war has shown that the most valuable resource is people. Without welders, electricians, and engineers, there would be no fortified positions or a stable defense line."
In this way, Metinvest demonstrates its active role in supporting the country's defense needs and adapting to constantly changing conditions, reaffirming its position as a key player in Ukrainian industry during the war. The GLOBSEC forum provides an opportunity for international cooperation and experience-sharing among countries affected by armed conflict, potentially serving as a catalyst for further development of defense technologies in Ukraine and other nations facing similar challenges.
As Ukrainian industry rapidly adapts to the ongoing conflict, the interest in Ukrainian defense innovations has surged across the U.S. and Europe. This shift not only highlights the effectiveness of local technologies but also underscores the global recognition of Ukraine's capabilities in enhancing security measures during wartime.