DTEK and Shakhtar launch Champions League campaign to drive investment in Ukraine

The logo of Ukrainian energy company DTEK will appear on FC Shakhtar Donetsk shirts for the first time in the UEFA Champions League matches, this season, as part of a campaign encouraging international companies to invest in Ukraine. The logo will be seen on Shakhtar’s iconic orange and black shirts when the team plays AEK Athens at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium in London on 14th October.

The sponsorship highlights that Ukraine is home to some of the world’s most resilient businesses, including DTEK and Shakhtar. Both are part of Rinat Akhmetov’s SCM Group, whose businesses have invested more than $4.3 billion in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. That includes DTEK, which has spent $2.7 billion on both repairs to existing energy infrastructure and the development of new and more resilient infrastructure such as wind farms, battery storage, solar generation and smart grids.

DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko said:

“DTEK is an example of how resilient Ukrainian companies have become. We are not only restoring damaged infrastructure but also partnering international businesses on new projects to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term energy security. Through Invest in Ukraine, DTEK, Shakhtar and SCM are signaling to global investors that it is possible to access opportunity in Ukraine today.”

FC Shakhtar CEO Serhii Palkin said:

“For us, this partnership has a clear purpose. The Champions League gives us an opportunity to speak to a large international audience, while DTEK provides a concrete example that investment in Ukraine is possible today. We want to use Shakhtar’s reach to ensure this message is heard far beyond Ukraine”.

DTEK is developing projects with international partners including Denmark’s Vestas and US-based Fluence and GE Vernova, which are providing technology and equipment and supporting access to financing.

As one of Ukraine’s best-known sporting brands, Shakhtar offers the campaign a platform beyond traditional business and policy audiences. Its Champions League fixtures this season will bring the investment message to football supporters, corporate partners and broadcasters across international markets.