On July 25, a notice appeared on the official website of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine regarding the discrepancy in the quality of steel from “Zaporizhstal” for the production of the trident on the Motherland Monument. In connection with the specified information, we consider it necessary to state the following.
“Zaporizhstal” Steel Works, as a manufacturer of rolled products for the trident, fully supports the idea of decommunization of one of the main symbols of the country and the replacement of the Soviet emblem with a new trident on the Motherland Monument. “Zaporizhstal” was one of the first to offer comprehensive assistance in a project important for the formulation of the national identity of Ukrainians. We believe that steel produced at Ukrainian factories should be used in such majestic symbols as a symbol of resistance to aggression. It is Ukrainian steel that has been trusted in Ukraine and around the world for years, which is found in NSC “Olimpiyskiy”, the new sarcophagus of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Darnytsia bridge, the largest flagpole of Ukraine, the bridge in Genoa, the Shard skyscraper in London, and hundreds of other famous buildings and symbols.
We are sure that the steel produced at “Zaporizhstal” is suitable for trident production. The Steel Works does not agree with the conclusions of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine and the cited defect report. We consider the claims to be biased and groundless and will defend the honour of the Ukrainian manufacturer and Ukrainian steel. Understanding the importance of the project, we will continue to fulfil all our commitments as a partner in the production of the new trident. At the request of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, “Zaporizhstal” provided all the steel for the manufacture of the emblem free of charge and paid for the development of the project to replace the Soviet symbol.
More about the situation with “Zaporizhstal” steel:
- The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine and the general contractor of the project “Osnova” LLC identified two types of metal for the manufacture of the trident: “Zaporizhstal” stainless steel 1.7 mm thickness and foreign steel 1.5 mm thickness.
- The key requirements of the project contractor to the Ukrainian steel producer were the full compliance of the metal with the AISI 321 steel grade: the thickness of the stainless rolled stock – 1.7 mm and the full compliance of the metal with the 12Х18Н10Т steel grade, which was used for the construction of the monument in 1981.
- The ingot of the appropriate steel grade was rolled to the design thickness of 1.7 mm agreed with the contractor at “Zaporizhstal” production facilities. According to the requirements of the general contractor, the Steel Works’ rolled stock did not undergo additional metal surface treatment, as the contractor undertook to perform these works by itself on its own equipment.
- The first batch of steel, manufactured according to the requirements of the general contractor, was handed over on June 29 free of charge, in compliance with the agreements reached under the public-private partnership. Any minor deviations in thickness in the batch of rolled stock supplied to the contractor are normative and remain within the acceptable margin of error, of which the contractor has been warned in advance. We are ready to conduct an independent examination on the quality of steel from “Zaporizhstal”.
- During the incoming inspection by the contractor, no reports of defects, claims or other documents were announced or handed over to “Zaporizhstal”, which would certify the non-compliance of the stainless steel products with the established quality standards, mechanical or chemical parameters. The Ukrainian steel producer learned about the allegedly discovered inconsistencies in rolled stock and the impossibility of using it in the project for the reconstruction of the Motherland Monument from a statement by the Ministry of Culture dated July 25.