Full Breakdown
Zaporizhstal Shut Down After Russian Missile Strikes
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Zaporizhstal Shutdown
Ukraine’s largest steel plant, Zaporizhstal in Zaporizhzhia, halted production indefinitely after four waves of Russian missile attacks—two in August and two in September 2023. The strikes delivered a total of 17 missiles, according to Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest, the plant’s owner. The attacks destroyed most equipment, shattered windows, and ruined the blast furnaces. Eight workers were killed and 31 wounded. The plant, which employs about 8,500 people, is now a rubble-filled site while officials assess whether it can ever restart.
Decline of Ukraine’s Metallurgical Sector
Before the 2022 invasion, metallurgy and mining contributed roughly 10 % of Ukraine’s GDP and a third of its exports, employing more than half a million workers. Since 2014, the number of operational metallurgical plants fell from 12 to six, with further closures after the recent missile campaign. The loss of these facilities has pushed the sector’s contribution to GDP “close to zero,” according to Myronenko.
Human and Economic Toll
The shutdown of Zaporizhstal and other plants has immediate social consequences. Taxes paid by metal-making firms previously funded 30-70 % of local government budgets, supporting utilities, schools, and social services. Stanislav Zinchenko of GMK Center warned that prolonged closures could trigger a humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands facing job loss and potential migration. Steel is also critical for Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction, supplying material for weapons, shelters, and rebuilding damaged infrastructure.
Official Statements & Responses
Metinvest officials emphasized the strategic aim of the attacks, stating that Russia seeks to cripple Ukraine’s economy and tax revenue. Oleksandr Vodoviz of Metinvest described a brief 10-hour furnace restart that ended with another air strike, underscoring the uncertainty of any recovery. Myronenko added that damaged railways and port blockades—exacerbated by EU steel-import quotas introduced on 1 July—make transporting any remaining product “a lethal lottery.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Clearly, they're trying to stop Ukraine's economy and stop Ukraine from getting [export] money from abroad, from paying taxes and wages, from ensuring that cities live and people have jobs,” — Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of steelworks owner Metinvest
- “We attempted relaunching Zaporizhstal. We restarted a furnace, and it worked for 10 hours before there was another air strike,” — Oleksandr Vodoviz, of Metinvest