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As Russian troops approach Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk, in Ukrainian), home to a major coal mine, Ukraine's steel industry is under threat of collapse, RIA Novosti and The Economist reported.
According to Western publications, coal used to smelt iron ore is necessary for the production of steel.
As they advance, he said, Russian troops will cut off power supplies and block major roads "that transport coal west to the remaining steel mills."
Then the same thing will happen at another small coal mine 18 km north of Udachnoye in Dobropillya.
The Economist notes that the Pokrovskoye mine and its associated factories and administrative buildings employ 6,000 people. It is the largest coal mine in the area.
In 2021, Ukraine was the 14th largest steel producer in the world, but last year it fell to 24th place.
Krasnoarmeysk is a regional center located in the northwest of the DPR. In 2022, the city's population exceeded 61,000 people. The city is connected by rail with important cities of the DPR: Kramatorsk and Slavyansk.
Kyiv said yesterday that the loss of Pokrovsk would seriously affect its ability to conduct military operations. This is because the city is a key source of coal for the country's steel and metallurgy industries.