Maria Kovalyova, a participant in the regional “Young Person of the Year – 2026” contest in the “Champion of Resilience” category
Maria Kovalyova, 27, from Kramatorsk, is a prime example of how true dedication knows no age. Despite the dangers of living in a frontline city and the constant shelling, she has chosen to remain in Kramatorsk to help the company—Donetskoblgaz JSC—operate smoothly.
In July 2023, Maria joined the transportation department as a contract management specialist. She has a degree in economics, so her attention to detail and precision in everything she does have become her professional strengths. Right from the start of her career, she demonstrated remarkable courage: she was the first person at the company to carry out a procurement through a tender process and subsequently perfected this procedure.
It wasn’t easy: sleepless nights, anxiety—after all, she had to blaze a new trail. Maria single-handedly prepared all the documentation for the purchase of the vehicles that now serve Donetskoblgaz’s emergency and repair crews. She admits that this challenge made her stronger and boosted her self-confidence.
Today, Maria continues to work on contract-related tasks in the motor transport department. At the same time, due to a staff shortage caused by the evacuation of the local population, she had to master another crucial area—the administrative office, often referred to as “the brain of the company.” She now serves as the administrative office manager on a part-time basis. All of the company’s documents pass through her hands.
To perform even better, Maria studies on her own in her free time: she watches lectures, takes courses in office administration, and closely follows changes in legislation. She strives to be as competent as possible because she understands that the smooth operation of the entire company depends on her work.
Her colleagues note her sense of responsibility, quick wit, and maturity—qualities not always typical of someone her age. Thanks to people like Maria, Donetskoblgaz has a reliable foundation, and the Donetsk region has a future.