Revolutionising battlefield medicine: Akhmetov’s steel bunkers bring life-saving care to Ukraine’s front lines
Kyiv, 05 September 2024 –Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front has adapted its steel bunkers to make the first pre-fabricated underground hospital for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is the first of over 20 units, which can be installed directly at the front line, providing life-saving medical care for Ukrainian soldiers during combat operations.
The hospitals, which have been developed by Metinvest in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Eastern Military Medial Forces, are constructed from six steel bunkers. They have ventilation, water supply, drainage and power supply systems, as well as high-powered electronic warfare (EW) protection. And they equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including cardiac monitors and ventilators, meeting NATO’s Role/Echelon 2 standards.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said, “These underground stabilization points are critically important for saving the lives of our military. This is the first step in a large-scale project that will strengthen our medical infrastructure and allow us to more effectively support defenders on the front lines.”
The hospitals are equipped to perform resuscitation and critical treatment, an essential capability during intense combat situations.
Roman Kuzev, Acting Commander of the Eastern Military Medical Forces, said, “Each facility will allow us to treat over 100 patients daily, directly impacting our ability to save lives on the battlefield.”
The Steel Front is investing more than UAH 20 million (USD 500,000) in the development and deployment of the underground hospitals.
Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest Group, said, “A medical hospital located many meters underground is the most ambitious and challenging project we have implemented since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.”
The Steel Front initiative, set up by Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist Rinat Akhmetov, supports Ukraine’s defence efforts, and in particular to save the lives of the military and help our soldiers fight the enemy. The primary focus is on providing essential resources and support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other critical sectors involved in national defence.
To date, Rinat Akhmetov has allocated over UAH 10 billion (USD 260 million) to support Ukraine’s humanitarian and military needs.
Photo courtesy Steel Front
