ZZHRK continues to support the workers, despite the seizure of business by the Russians

The plant pays 2/3 of wages to workers forced to flee the occupation, workers drafted into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and seeks funds for financial assistance to the army.

A few days after the start of the military offensive of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, PJSC “Zaporozhye Iron Ore Plant” (ZZHRK), located in the Vasilyevsky district of the Zaporozhye region, is under temporary occupation, as a result if where the plant’s production activities stop, and the equipment is switched to conservation mode.

On June 15, 2022, PrJSC ZZHRK announced the loss of control over the plant’s activities due to its capture by the Russian military, which entered the territory and carried out illegal actions on the plant’s property. In particular, thousands of tons of iron ore prepared for shipment to European countries were stolen from the territory of PrJSC ZZHRK. Also, the occupying authorities introduced their own administration at the plant and announced their intention to independently restore iron mining. However, all attempts by the conquerors to restore full-scale iron ore mining have not been successful to date.

Considering the current situation, the shareholders and management of PJSC ZZHRK have developed and maintained a unified position regarding the illegal actions of the Russian occupation authorities – the activities of the labor administration are criminal, violating on the rights of legitimate plant owners to own and dispose of their property, threatens the safety of the region’s population and may lead to a man-made disaster. Law enforcement agencies and state authorities are notified of all crimes against the plant.

In these difficult situations, when PJSC ZZHRK does not have the opportunity to fully work and receive stable income, understands the responsibility to the team and strives to preserve human resources, at the initiative of the Slovak shareholder, MINERFIN as, the plant became the payment of 2/3 of the official salary to all employees for more than 8 months who left and remained in the territory controlled by Ukraine. The shareholders of the plant intend to continue such payments, at least until the end of 2022. In general, the number of employees located in the territory controlled by Ukraine is more than 3 thousand employees out of 5 thousand who worked at the plant until February 24, 2022.

Also, despite the elimination at the legislative level of the criteria for the payment of average income to employees called up for the army, at the initiative of the majority shareholder, the Slovak company MINERFIN as, from September 1, 2022, the PJSC ZZHRK pays material assistance to all employees who are in the ranks of the Armed Forces and defend Ukraine, in the amount of 2/3 of the salary established by him for the positions in which they were before being called up for military service. Unfortunately, there are also dead workers, whose families receive one-time material aid from the plant.

In addition, realizing that military assistance will accelerate our common victory over the enemy, the plant actively assists financially and materially individual units and the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a whole. PJSC ZZHRK makes contributions to finance the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a special account at the National Bank of Ukraine. From the beginning of the war, PrJSC ZZHRK purchased and transferred to the military a large amount of necessary uniforms and military protection systems, communications and electronic warfare systems, drones, anti-drone guns and other necessary items for our defenders.

By spreading its experience, CJSC ZZHRK seeks to show by its own example that the contribution of business in support of its employees and our military is a contribution to the defense of our country, victory over the enemy and the approach of a time when we can liberate all occupied territories and work in full, ensuring the well-being of our employees, their families and all of Ukraine.

An enterprise with foreign investment in the form of a private joint-stock company “Zaporozhye Iron Ore Plant” (PJSC ZZHRK) is one of the largest mining enterprises and metallurgical complexes of Ukraine, which, before the beginning of the war, provided jobs for more than 5 thousand workers, is one of the largest taxpayers in the state and plays an important role in the socio-economic development of the Zaporozhye region.

The majority shareholder of the plant is the Slovak company MINERFIN as, which owns 51.16% of the shares of PrJSC ZZHRK, PJSC Zaporizhstal also owns 29.51% of the shares, another 19.06% of the shares are owned by the Czech company KSK Consulting as

In 2021, the production of high-quality iron ore with an iron content of 61% will reach 4.6 million tons. Most of these iron ores were exported to EU countries, and were also used to provide raw materials for leading domestic metallurgical plants.