Metinvest has built 35 strongholds for the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Metinvest Group has already built more than 35 steel platoon bunker strongholds for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and plans to produce another 90. This was announced by the company’s Chief Operating Officer Olexander Myronenko in an interview with Pryamyi Channel.

The Group has joined the fortification program that is underway in virtually all frontline areas – the second and third defense lines with platoon strongholds are being actively built.

As Myronenko explained, these points are standardly equipped with the company’s shelters, more than 330 of which Metinvest has already handed over to the army.

«And the question arose that we also needed to build command posts to ensure continuous command and control of the troops near the contact line. After that, we had a very meaningful discussion with the military, with the command in certain areas. And we developed a project of a command post consisting of 5-6 hideouts. It takes into account the conditions in which these points are used, because people are there 24/7 all year round,» he said.

The points are equipped with internet, telephone and all other means used by the military.

«In addition, there should be places where online operators monitor what is happening on the contact line. There are people who monitor the video from the reconnaissance drones flying along the front line. There are people who monitor how the enemy’s positions and our positions are changing, what kind of fighting is going on on the contact line. This is all done using large TVs and computer equipment, which we also provide,» said Oleksandr Myronenko.

To ensure the safety of the military, the bunkers are located deep underground, they are electrified and equipped with stationary heating places, a modern ventilation system, and conditions for comfortable living. They are installed mostly at night. The covert delivery, site preparation and installation require significant security measures, which the company takes together with the military.

In terms of production, it takes 4-5 weeks to prepare 5-6 “shelters,” including steel production, structural assembly, and interior arrangement so that the finished structure can be loaded, delivered, unloaded, and buried. The company informs the military when everything is ready, and they prepare the infrastructure for that date.

Currently, another 5-6 stations are in the process of being assembled and will be distributed to the frontline areas and brigades. There are discussions about the next stages of production – up to 30 command posts to be installed in one of the areas.

According to Metinvest’s Chief Operating Officer, the company takes the safety of this production very seriously. That is why all the sites where the products are manufactured, including mine trawls, command posts and hideouts» are located outside the group’s facilities.

«We care about the safety of people working at these facilities. In total, about 400-500 employees of Metinvest are constantly involved in the production of defense products,» said Myronenko.

Currently, the Group’s main areas of focus are mine clearance (mine trawls) and the provision of shelters and fortifications and their modification. They are currently discussing the production of «hideouts» for drone operators, and are developing another area related to stabilization medical centers.

As GMK Center reported earlier, since the beginning of the full-scale war, Metinvest has allocated UAH 4.8 billion to support Ukraine and Ukrainians. Of this amount, more than UAH 2.5 billion was spent on helping soldiers as part of the Steel Front military initiative.