Inclusive IRON WARRIORS petanque arena being built at VDNKh for veterans: Akhmetov Foundation allocates UAH 8.6 million and a special vehicle

On September 23, 2026, on the territory of VDNKh, in the zone of the future Urban Park, a team of veterans led by Vadym Syvirdenko gathered at the site where the inclusive public space IRON WARRIORS PETANQUE ARENA is planned to be built. During the event, the participants played a game of petanque, the organizers presented the project for the future space, and the team was handed a special vehicle provided by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. According to Ukrainian media, UAH 8.6 million will be allocated to implement the initiative — building the arena and purchasing the vehicle.

Event at VDNKh: from a game to a project

The meeting at the site of the future arena became a working stage in launching the project: the veterans not only discussed the concept but also practically tested the venue by playing a game of petanque. As envisioned by the initiators, IRON WARRIORS PETANQUE ARENA is to become a large-scale, inclusive, and accessible space where combat veterans can regularly train, gather, and take part in competitions. VDNKh became the project's partner by providing the territory; the arena will extend the sports infrastructure of the Urban Park and, according to plans, is set to open in 2026.

The initiator: Vadym Syvirdenko's path

The project was initiated by Vadym Syvirdenko — a veteran who stood up to defend Ukraine in 2014. After a severe injury he lost four limbs and went through a long recovery process, in which sport became an important part of his return to an active life. Syvirdenko then began developing veterans' petanque and gathered a team around it. He currently also holds the position of the President of Ukraine's Commissioner for the Rehabilitation of Combat Participants. In his words, the arena will become a place where veterans can gather, socialize, train, and compete, and petanque helps them psychologically decompress, take their minds off their traumas, and feel the support of their comrades.

Inclusivity and international standards

The key idea of the project is to make petanque accessible to veterans with various injuries and physical abilities. As Natalia Yemchenko, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, noted, the arena is planned to host a center for the development of veterans' petanque, which is to become a model of an inclusive sports space. The arena's design is intended to comply with international standards, which will in the future allow competitions of international level to be held on the site. The design process takes into account the experience of the veterans themselves, who will be training there.

Support from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation: UAH 8.6 million and a vehicle

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is coordinating the implementation of the project and work with partners, providing the necessary resources to bring the vision to life. According to RBC, UNIAN, and Focus, UAH 8.6 million will be allocated for building the arena and purchasing a special vehicle. The vehicle handed over will allow the team to travel together to training sessions and competitions. Ksenia Sukhova, the Foundation's General Director, emphasized that Rinat Akhmetov personally decided to support the initiative, as it concerns an opportunity for veterans to recover through sport and to build communities. Vadym Syvirdenko thanked Rinat Akhmetov and the Foundation for their support and for creating opportunities for recovery and an active life.

Petanque as a tool for rehabilitation

Petanque is a sport that combines tactics, precision, and teamwork. It is accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels, which makes it possible to involve veterans after injuries in the game. It is precisely this accessibility that makes petanque a suitable direction for an inclusive community: combat participants with different physical abilities can take part in it, and regular training and competitions build lasting support within the team.

Context: 20 years of the Foundation and SCM's contribution

The launch of the arena fits into the broader context of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation's activities, which in 2025 marked 20 years of work and implemented a significant number of charitable projects. It was also previously reported that Akhmetov's company SCM has directed UAH 13.5 billion to support Ukraine over the four years of the war. In this line, the veterans' petanque arena at VDNKh becomes one of the concrete examples of long-term work with combat participants through sport and inclusive infrastructure.