At the mine in Pokrovsk, coking coal production was stopped due to the Russian offensive.
This was reported on December 13 by Reuters.
This is the only mine in Ukraine that supplied metallurgical plants in Ukraine with coking coal. According to sources, workers are working only on the surface. There is an evacuation going on there now.
With reference to DeepState, the publication writes that the Russians have less than two kilometers left to the mine.
Steelmaker Metinvest BV suspended some operations at the mine last month.
According to the National Coke and Chemical Association, in 2023, about 3.5 million tons of coke were produced in Ukraine exclusively using coking coal mined in Pokrovsk.
The 2024 Steel Union said the potential mine closure could cause steel production to fall to 2-3 million tonnes in 2025 from 7.6 million in 2024.
Steel production had already suffered after the Russian invasion, which led to the destruction of the country’s leading steel plants.
Ukraine, previously a major steel producer and exporter, reported a 70.7% drop in production in 2022 to 6.3 million tonnes. In 2023 it fell to 6 million tons.
DeepState reported that Russian troops are advancing into the villages of Kotlino and Udachnoye, where the mines are located.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.