Associated Press — one of the largest news agencies in the world — reached out to the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs with a request to comment on the real conditions of doing business in Ukraine.
Not words, but facts
We decided to invite several member companies of the Union to open their doors to journalists and show how Ukrainian business truly lives and works during the war.
One of the first to agree to host the Associated Press team was Rito Group. And this is no coincidence: the company has 35 years in the market behind it, more than one economic crisis, and an unbreakable habit of working despite everything. The journalists visited the production site in person — and saw with their own eyes how the team continues to work even during massive blackouts caused by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
For more than 35 years, Rito Group has been creating full-cycle designer knitwear, exporting to the United States and regularly participating in Ukrainian Fashion Week.
How the company operates during power outages
Tetiana Abramova, CEO and founder of the Rito brand, said that the main source of power is a powerful 35-kilowatt generator, as well as a wood-fired boiler used for heating. Thanks to this, the production facility maintains heat, water, electricity, and jobs — even during blackouts.
“Here at work, we have warmth, we have water, we have light — and we have each other,” Tetiana Abramova noted.
Where to find this Associated Press content
Journalists saw everything with their own eyes: how the team works under the hum of the generator, and how quality and care for people are maintained. This story became part of an Associated Press article that reached millions of readers around the world.
Here’s what it looked like in real time — you can watch the Associated Press video from the Rito production facility during the blackout by following the link.
We thank the Rito Group and Tetiana Abramova for their courage and openness. For allowing the world to see the true resilience of Ukrainian business.
The Union will continue working to ensure that such real stories are heard globally. Because together we are a force that changes the world’s perception.