Steel production in Ukraine has dropped to nearly zero due to a series of Russian attacks

As a result of massive Russian strikes on enterprises in the mining and metallurgical sector, steel production in Ukraine has virtually come to a standstill. In particular, all three of Metinvest’s largest steel mills in government-controlled territory have ceased operations, including Kametstal in Kamensk, which halted operations in September after being struck by a ballistic missile.

As a result of this attack on Kametstal, five workers were killed, and one of the blast furnaces was destroyed. The plant’s CEO said, “Disaster has struck us. A ballistic missile hit right here, directly into the blast furnace.” 

Experts estimate that the damages amount to millions of dollars, and recovery will take months or years. The situation threatens job losses, tax revenue, and foreign exchange earnings; while the mining and metallurgical sector accounted for 10.3% of Ukraine’s GDP in 2021, its projected share for 2026 is currently approaching zero.

Source: Al Jazeera.

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s largest steel mill, is beginning preparations to completely halt production and mothball its industrial facilities. Over the next two months, the company plans to safely shut down production and subsequently preserve equipment and other assets until operations can resume.

The Kametstal plant in Kamyanske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, completely halted production following a Russian ballistic missile strike on the night of September 5.