“You Have Given Us Hope for the Future”: Mariupol Defender Receives an Apartment from Rinat Akhmetov
Mariupol defender Vasyl received the keys to his own apartment under the “At Home” program, implemented by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation in partnership with the “Heart of Azovstal” project.
The Mariupol resident worked at the Ilyich Metallurgical Plant for almost 20 years and joined the Territorial Defense Forces at the beginning of the full-scale war. In March 2022, he suffered a severe hip injury as a result of an airstrike on the Azovstal plant. After being evacuated and undergoing lengthy treatment, he was assigned Group II disability status due to significantly limited mobility.
Now, thanks to the home he has received, he will be able to focus on what matters most — his recovery and return to an active life.
“I am very grateful personally to Rinat Leonidovych and to the entire Foundation team. You have brought me back to life and given me hope for the future. If there were more people like you, things would be easier,” says Vasyl.
The defender lost his previous home because of the occupation, leaving behind everything he had accumulated over the years. Now he is preparing to furnish his new apartment, which he already calls his second home — a place where he can begin a new stage of his life. Earlier, with the support of “Heart of Azovstal,” Vasyl also completed a comprehensive rehabilitation course and applied for employment. Such systematic support helps the serviceman confidently return to civilian life and make new plans.
During the ceremony to present the certificate and keys to the apartment, Ksenia Sukhova, CEO of the Foundation, sincerely thanked the defender for his courage.
“Thank you for the heroic defense of the city of Mariupol and for everything you have done for our country. We are moving forward, making the project even stronger, and helping our defenders,” said Ksenia Sukhova.
Nataliia Yemchenko, Chair of the Foundation’s Supervisory Board, emphasized that the “At Home” program was created with a long-term perspective in mind — it is intended to support not only today’s defenders, but also future defenders who will return home and need assistance.
“We really want the servicemen who received apartments from us today to feel comfortable in them, but even more, we want this to become the starting point for building a new life after service,” says Nataliia Yemchenko.
The “At Home” program provides apartments for Mariupol defenders with Group I and Group II disabilities. For them, having a home of their own is not only a solution to everyday practical needs, but also an important part of the journey of post-traumatic growth – a return to a full and meaningful life after combat and captivity.
