Russian strikes shut Ukraine's biggest steel plant, kill seven in Kyiv
MT•ArcelorMittal is shutting production at its Kryvyi Rih plant, saying four strikes in five weeks made safe operations impossible; it expects an impairment charge of around $1 billion. Separate Russian strikes killed seven people in Kyiv on Friday and injured 46.
1. Plant shutdown
ArcelorMittal said it had informed the Ukrainian government that it could no longer safely operate the Kryvyi Rih plant after four strikes in five weeks caused extensive damage and killed five workers. The plant produced 1.7 million metric tons of steel and 7.6 million tons of iron ore in 2025. The company expects a non-cash impairment charge of around $1 billion.
2. Workers and Kyiv casualties
The plant employs about 12,500 people and 3,500 contractors. ArcelorMittal is assessing staffing needs and plans to work with employee representatives and local management on measures to support workers. In Kyiv, seven people were killed and 46 injured in Friday's attacks, including 25 people who were hospitalised.
3. Industry context
Ukraine's steel sector previously accounted for 15% of the country's exports. A Kepler Cheuvreux analyst told Reuters the shutdown's impact on ArcelorMittal and global steel markets was likely to be limited because the plant had operated at significantly reduced capacity since 2022.
