A New Start After Three Years in Captivity: Defender of Mariupol Illia Zakharov Receives His Own Apartment from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation

Defender of Mariupol Illia Zakharov has received the keys to an apartment under the “At Home” program, implemented by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation in partnership with the “Heart of Azovstal” project.

Illia is from Berdiansk. He joined the military in 2020, and after the outbreak of the full-scale war, he defended Mariupol. In April 2022, he partially lost his hearing during shelling and was later taken captive by russia.

The defender spent three years and three months in captivity, which had a severe impact on his health. He was constantly subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and was forced to endure exhausting physical exertion and hypothermia. At the same time, he was not provided with any medical assistance. Illia now has a Group II disability. He sustained multiple injuries to his spine and legs and also suffers from deforming osteoarthritis of both hip joints, accompanied by chronic pain.

Despite everything he has been through, Illia is now beginning a new chapter of his life and recovery in his own apartment.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Rinat Leonidovych for the apartment, for your project, and for helping people. This is extremely important and very much needed. Thank you very much for your support and care,” the serviceman says.

 The new home is fully ready for living: it has modern renovations, furniture, and household appliances, even a coffee maker, so that the family can feel as comfortable as possible from the very first day. The defender says he is incredibly happy to move into his own apartment together with his wife and 5-year-old son, Tymur.

During the key handover ceremony, the organization’s General Director Ksenia Sukhova expressed her deep respect to the defender for his heroic service:

“On behalf of Rinat Akhmetov, I would like to convey our deep gratitude to you for the heroic defense of the city of Mariupol, for everything you have done for our country and continue to do. Thank you. We value this beyond measure.”

For her part, Tetiana Kukhotska, Secretary of the Foundation’s Supervisory Board, emphasized the unique nature and scale of the assistance provided to the defenders of Mariupol as part of the initiative:

“For the three years that this support has existed, this is the only project in Ukraine under which a defender who fought for Ukraine, was taken captive, sustained numerous injuries, returned, and received support at this level. No one in Ukraine provides anything like this, anywhere. Moreover, the scale is incredible in terms of the number of people who have already received assistance. Because when a person returns from captivity, they receive comprehensive assistance so that they can restore their health, recover their documents, and return to a full life.”

The “At Home” program provides apartments to defenders of Mariupol who have Group I or Group II disabilities.  Having a home of their own is not only a solution to everyday needs for them, but also an important part of the journey of post-traumatic growth – returning to a fulfilling life after combat and captivity.