Artemsil salt from legendary Soledar on sale to mark 1st anniversary of full-scale invasion
The special batch, named 'Soledarity: Ukrainian Rock-Solid Strength,' is made from 20 tonnes of salt previously mined in the now-occupied town of Soledar. The batch consists of 100,000 200g packs. All proceeds from sale — UAH 465 ($12.5) per pack — will be used to fund a new fleet of suicide drones for Ukrainian military reconnaissance.
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Artemsil, Ukraine's largest salt producer, was forced to shut down its production in Soledar due to the ongoing war, marking the first time the mines have been out of operation since World War II. The company's facilities were burned down, its equipment destroyed, and its buildings left in ruins, causing over 2,500 local residents linked to the business to flee. Although some salt stocks were evacuated, Artemsil, a salt brand beloved by every Ukrainian, disappeared from store shelves in the summer of 2022.
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"Our company was forced to suspend operations in the spring of 2022. We understand that, as is the case with us, Ukrainian customers are missing the iconic Artemsil salt, which symbolizes the strength of Ukraine. As such, we have reached out to our official distributors to check for any remaining stock in their warehouses. Fortunately, we were able to get 20 tonnes of salt. We are delighted to announce that Artemsil is making a comeback with a special design and an important mission. Despite the temporary occupation of our hometown and salt mines, we are confident that Ukrainian salt will withstand the test of time, and we remain determined to have Soledar and all other Ukrainian cities and towns back.”
Read also: Zakarpattia to replace Ukrainian salt production lost in Donbas
Volodymyr Nyzyyenko, Head of Communications at SE Artemsil
The new Artemsil package has been illustrated by the famous Ukrainian designer, Artem Gusev. The design, which features the word "Mits" ("Strength") instead of "Sil" ("Salt") and a trident instead of Artemsil’s former logo of a flower made of salt crystals, has gone viral, being used as an avatar on social media and featured in various media outlets.
"Upon seeing the illustration, we realized that we not only had to bring the legendary salt back to store shelves, but also add a little bit of strength to every Ukrainian. After reaching out to Artemsil, we discovered how important this project is to them. It gives them an opportunity to remind everyone about the entity that provided salt for the entire country and was once one of the largest salt producers in the world. It also reminds us of the lives of the 2,500 people whose livelihoods are intimately connected with the mines of Soledar."
Read also: The history and present of the famous mines of Soledar
Yaroslava Hres, a coordinator of the UNITED24 platform
Each pack of the special batch of Artemsil salt costs UAH 500 ($13.6), with UAH 465 ($12.5) of the proceeds being directed to fund a fleet of suicide drones through the UNITED24 platform. It is worth noting that a single drone costs $700, so the revenue to be generated from the sale of each pack will go a long way in supporting the Ukrainian military.
"The first-person view (FPV) suicide drone is a revolutionary weapon of war, given its ability to be used with sniper accuracy over a range of up to 8 km. The cameras and modern communication systems allow the operator to control the drone in real-time from a safe distance. With the help of the special batch of Artemsil salt, we will be able to equip a new combat unit with FPV suicide drones that will join in critical defenses along the entire frontline."
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Commander nom de guerre ‘Volunteer’ of the Kryla ("Wings") special UAV unit, the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR)
The specially packaged Artemsil salt is now available at the national retail chain Silpo, as well as through the online marketplace Rozetka.
"After we found 300 tonnes of the legendary Artemsil salt in the summer and sent it back to our shelves, it quickly sold out. And we are proud to present Artemsil, a symbol of Ukrainian strength, in a special package with an ambitious goal. Customers can find this salt at any of our stores, and we have even rebranded one of our stores in Kyiv to 'Sil' instead of 'Silpo' to celebrate this special occasion."
Read also: Street fighting ongoing in and around Soledar, says Donetsk governor
Kateryna Ohuriaieva, Marketing Director at Silpo
"The iconic pack of Artemsil salt, which has been a staple for many Ukrainian households, has sadly become unavailable due to the full-scale invasion. This year has been challenging for us, and we have learned to appreciate the things we once took for granted. Rozetka is proud to market the limited edition of Artemsil salt online, which has been produced for fundraising purposes. We will deliver it to any of our pick-up points free of charge. Now more than ever, we all need Ukrainian Rock-Solid Strength."
Vladyslav Chechotkin, co-founder of Rozetka
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
