OMM Redaksiyası
Russian airstrikes on Ukraine continue to inflict serious damage on the country’s economy. ArcelorMittal said it would suspend production at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine’s largest steelmaking facility.
The company said the decision was made because it was no longer possible to operate the facility safely. The plant produced 1.7 million tons of steel in 2025. Its operations also include mines that produced 7.6 million tons of iron ore last year.
Seven killed in attacks on Kyiv
Seven people, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed in strikes on Kyiv on Friday. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the bodies of four people were found in a parking lot after a daytime attack on an office building.
Fifty-eight people were injured in the attacks, 25 of whom were receiving treatment in hospital. One of the injured was in serious condition. Attacks on Kyiv continued throughout the day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attacks “extremely brutal and horrific.” He said Russia was expanding its policy of escalation and that the international community must respond.
Another blow to Ukraine’s steel industry
Ukraine’s steel sector previously accounted for 15% of the country’s exports. However, the industry is under pressure from Russian attacks and restrictions imposed by the European Union, Ukraine’s main trading partner.
ArcelorMittal expects to record a non-cash impairment loss of about $1 billion in connection with the suspension of the plant’s operations. Mauro Longobardo, chief executive of the company’s subsidiary, said the decision had been made with regret.
Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes
According to the United Nations, its monitoring mission in Ukraine recorded the deaths of at least 200 civilians as a result of attacks in September. The strikes also damaged homes, hospitals, shops and workplaces.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said overnight strikes had targeted Ukraine’s defense industry facilities, logistics centers and vessels used by the Ukrainian military.
One of Ukraine’s latest attacks on Russia forced the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Rostov region to suspend operations. Zelensky also confirmed that Ukraine had carried out strikes on a similar facility in Perm and a defense company in Ulyanovsk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukrainian forces were conducting attacks “on all fronts” and would have to feel the impact of retaliatory strikes. He said proposals for new peace talks and a ceasefire remained on the agenda, but Moscow needed to “think carefully” about its response.
The steel industry has long been a key component of Ukraine’s industrial economy and export capacity. Damage to major plants and energy infrastructure has made the continuity of industrial operations increasingly dependent on security conditions and the availability of electricity and transport links.
