Shakhtar and Azov signed a Memorandum of Cooperation
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
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The football club and the National Guard corps will join forces to support servicemen and women and their families
FC Shakhtar and the 1st Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The signing ceremony took place on August 3 during half-time of the Ukrainian Premier League match between Shakhtar and Kudrivka. The Memorandum was signed by Shakhtar sporting director Darijo Srna and Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Ihnatiev (Ihnat), deputy commander for logistics of the First Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine. The agreement is valid for one year, with the option of being extended.
The purpose of the Memorandum is to consolidate efforts to support members of the National Guard of Ukraine, veterans and their family members, focusing exclusively on promoting their physical, psychological and social recovery. The Memorandum is a declaration of intent under which the parties will develop a partnership in the fields of physical culture, sport and social support for National Guard personnel based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and partnership.
The purpose of the Memorandum is to consolidate efforts to support members of the National Guard of Ukraine, veterans and their family members, focusing exclusively on promoting their physical, psychological and social recovery. The Memorandum is a declaration of intent under which the parties will develop a partnership in the fields of physical culture, sport and social support for National Guard personnel based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and partnership.
Shakhtar and the club's president Rinat Akhmetov have been supporting Azov for a long time, and this Memorandum commits us to continuing that support in a number of areas. I'd like to thank them for 12 years of their tireless fight against the enemy that invaded our country and for everything they do for us – for Ukraine and for the people of Donbas
Darijo Srna, FC Shakhtar sporting director:
– It was an honour for me to sign this document with Azov, which has been defending our city, our region and our country for the past 12 years. As you know, Shakhtar and the club's president Rinat Akhmetov have been supporting Azov for a long time, and this Memorandum commits us to continuing that support in a number of areas. I'd like to thank them for 12 years of their tireless fight against the enemy that invaded our country and for everything they do for us – for Ukraine and for the people of Donbas. They fight every day, and we believe in them and in our victory. Our president and our club will always stand by them.
Under the Memorandum, Shakhtar and Azov may cooperate in the following areas:
- promoting the physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of servicemen and women and veterans;
- organising joint sporting and community initiatives;
- holding training sessions, masterclasses and coaching activities for servicemen and women;
- supporting the development of adaptive and rehabilitation sport for wounded servicemen and women;
- organising visits for servicemen and women and their family members to football matches and other club events;
- staging sporting, cultural and educational activities for the children of servicemen and women, including the children of those killed, missing in action or held in captivity;
- involving the club's players and coaching staff in motivational and community initiatives for servicemen and women;
- exchanging expertise between the Corps' physical training instructors and the club's coaching staff;
- delivering charitable and community initiatives aimed at supporting servicemen and women and their families;
- providing mutual communications support and promoting joint initiatives and healthy lifestyles.
– It was an honour for me to sign this document with Azov, which has been defending our city, our region and our country for the past 12 years. As you know, Shakhtar and the club's president Rinat Akhmetov have been supporting Azov for a long time, and this Memorandum commits us to continuing that support in a number of areas. I'd like to thank them for 12 years of their tireless fight against the enemy that invaded our country and for everything they do for us – for Ukraine and for the people of Donbas. They fight every day, and we believe in them and in our victory. Our president and our club will always stand by them.
Under the Memorandum, Shakhtar and Azov may cooperate in the following areas:
- promoting the physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of servicemen and women and veterans;
- organising joint sporting and community initiatives;
- holding training sessions, masterclasses and coaching activities for servicemen and women;
- supporting the development of adaptive and rehabilitation sport for wounded servicemen and women;
- organising visits for servicemen and women and their family members to football matches and other club events;
- staging sporting, cultural and educational activities for the children of servicemen and women, including the children of those killed, missing in action or held in captivity;
- involving the club's players and coaching staff in motivational and community initiatives for servicemen and women;
- exchanging expertise between the Corps' physical training instructors and the club's coaching staff;
- delivering charitable and community initiatives aimed at supporting servicemen and women and their families;
- providing mutual communications support and promoting joint initiatives and healthy lifestyles.
Our cooperation with FC Shakhtar is about much more than sport. It's about our responsibility to the people who are defending the country today and to those who have already been through the war
Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Ihnatiev, deputy commander for logistics of the First Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine:
– Our cooperation with FC Shakhtar is about much more than sport. It's about our responsibility to the people who are defending the country today and to those who have already been through the war. I know the value of support firsthand. Together with my brothers-in-arms, I defended Mariupol, endured captivity, returned to service and continue to serve today. I'm grateful to partners such as FC Shakhtar for their continued support. That's why it's important to me that partnerships like this have real substance and deliver tangible results. Together, we'll work to develop sporting initiatives for servicemen and women, veterans and their families. Together, we'll continue to remind people about our brothers-in-arms who remain in Russian captivity. We’ll continue to use every opportunity to remind people about them, support their families and do everything possible to bring them home. I'd like to thank FC Shakhtar for its willingness to be part of this shared effort.
A Memorandum of Cooperation was also signed between Shakhtar Social charitable organisation, represented by its director Andrii Babeshko, Azov Prostir non-governmental organization, represented by chair of the board Nelli Yashchenko, and the Azov Prostir charitable foundation, represented by its director Myroslava Kostyra. The agreement provides for the consolidation of efforts to deliver social and psychophysical rehabilitation through sports therapy for the 1st Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine – namely its servicemen and women, veterans of the corps and their family members.
The parties also agreed to cooperate in the following key areas:
- social adaptation and rehabilitation (creating and implementing physical and psychological rehabilitation programmes for the corps’ veterans, including through the development of inclusive football and sporting initiatives);
– humanitarian support for families (providing assistance to the families of corps personnel who have been killed, taken prisoner or are missing in action);
- sports therapy (engaging servicemen and women and veterans in training programmes, and organising football matches and activities to support emotional recovery);
- support for the children of servicemen and women and veterans (developing and delivering support programmes for the children of servicemen and women, veterans, and those killed, taken prisoner or missing in action, including psychological support and emotional recovery programmes; organising sporting, educational and social integration activities; involving them in youth football initiatives; and creating opportunities for development, social inclusion and long-term support).
– Our cooperation with FC Shakhtar is about much more than sport. It's about our responsibility to the people who are defending the country today and to those who have already been through the war. I know the value of support firsthand. Together with my brothers-in-arms, I defended Mariupol, endured captivity, returned to service and continue to serve today. I'm grateful to partners such as FC Shakhtar for their continued support. That's why it's important to me that partnerships like this have real substance and deliver tangible results. Together, we'll work to develop sporting initiatives for servicemen and women, veterans and their families. Together, we'll continue to remind people about our brothers-in-arms who remain in Russian captivity. We’ll continue to use every opportunity to remind people about them, support their families and do everything possible to bring them home. I'd like to thank FC Shakhtar for its willingness to be part of this shared effort.
A Memorandum of Cooperation was also signed between Shakhtar Social charitable organisation, represented by its director Andrii Babeshko, Azov Prostir non-governmental organization, represented by chair of the board Nelli Yashchenko, and the Azov Prostir charitable foundation, represented by its director Myroslava Kostyra. The agreement provides for the consolidation of efforts to deliver social and psychophysical rehabilitation through sports therapy for the 1st Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine – namely its servicemen and women, veterans of the corps and their family members.
The parties also agreed to cooperate in the following key areas:
- social adaptation and rehabilitation (creating and implementing physical and psychological rehabilitation programmes for the corps’ veterans, including through the development of inclusive football and sporting initiatives);
– humanitarian support for families (providing assistance to the families of corps personnel who have been killed, taken prisoner or are missing in action);
- sports therapy (engaging servicemen and women and veterans in training programmes, and organising football matches and activities to support emotional recovery);
- support for the children of servicemen and women and veterans (developing and delivering support programmes for the children of servicemen and women, veterans, and those killed, taken prisoner or missing in action, including psychological support and emotional recovery programmes; organising sporting, educational and social integration activities; involving them in youth football initiatives; and creating opportunities for development, social inclusion and long-term support).
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