Mariupol Defender Ildar, Who Survived 792 Days in Captivity, Receives an Apartment from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
20.08.2026
Mariupol defender Ildar has received the keys to his own apartment through the “At Home” programme, which the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation implements in partnership with the Heart of Azovstal project.
Ildar joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2021 and was serving in Mariupol when the full-scale invasion began. At first, he defended the Illich Iron and Steel Works, and later moved to Azovstal together with his fellow soldiers. During the defence of Mariupol, he endured intense fighting, lost comrades, found himself encircled, and spent several days in a shell crater without food or water.
Later, the defender was taken into russian captivity. He spent 792 days there, enduring beatings, concussions, hypothermia, and severe dehydration. Due to the critical exhaustion of his body, there came a day when the soldier simply could not get to his feet. He was led to roll calls by the arms, while the occupiers cynically told him that Ukrainian doctors would treat him after a prisoner exchange.
Today, Ildar is returning to life on his native land and undergoing a long course of treatment. Receiving his own apartment has become an important step in his recovery and a safe space where he can make plans for the future.
“I would like to sincerely thank Rinat Akhmetov not only for my apartment, but for the entire Foundation and for the very, very important work it does. It truly matters. It gives people a chance to return to a normal life after everything they have been through. It is a wonderful thing,” says Ildar.
Kseniia Sukhova, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, thanked the defender for helping defend Mariupol and wished him comfort and many happy moments in his new home.
To make the housewarming even more special, Nataliia Yemchenko, Chair of the Foundation’s Supervisory Board, presented Ildar with a coffee machine. She stressed that for the Foundation team, the Heart of Azovstal project, and Rinat Akhmetov personally, it is important to provide not just square metres, but fully furnished and comfortable apartments equipped with everything defenders need for a comfortable life.
“Without a doubt, this is the largest programme for providing housing to military personnel in Ukraine. And it is very important to us that we maintain high standards when it comes to the quality of the apartments,” Nataliia Yemchenko noted.
At present, Ildar is recovering from captivity and gradually returning to civilian life. Above all, he hopes to find a new path for himself, obtain a higher education, and support his fellow soldiers.
“A huge number of the defenders we work with choose to continue helping their fellow soldiers. At the same time, many others choose entirely new specialisations and new professions. Both of these paths are incredibly inspiring to us,” says Nataliia Yemchenko.
The “At Home” programme provides apartments to Mariupol defenders with Group I and Group II disabilities. For them, having a home of their own is not only a solution to everyday challenges, but also an important part of the journey of post-traumatic growth - a return to life after combat and captivity.
