Ukraine could lose half of its steel production if Russians occupy Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast

Ukraine could see its steel production cut by half due to coal shortages if Russian forces take control of the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

Source: Oleksandr Kalenkov, President of Ukrmetallurgprom, a Ukrainian association of metals companies, at a forum organised by Ekonomichna Pravda

Details: Kalenkov noted that Ukraine's steel production has ranged between 6 and 6.5 million tonnes annually during the two years of the full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian-controlled territory still has enough resources to potentially produce 12 million tonnes of steel a year. But if Pokrovsk is lost, this figure could plummet to between 2 and 3 million tonnes annually.

Pokrovsk has the only coking coal mine under Ukrainian control, Kalenkov says. Losing Pokrovsk could result in a significant shortage of this essential type of coal.

"For the past two years, we've been smelting 6-6.5 million tonnes of steel [annually], and this year we could reach 7.5 million tonnes. If we lose Pokrovsk, it will be 2 to 3 million tonnes," Kalenkov stressed.

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