Ukrainian mining and steel producing group Metinvest has stated that damage from heavy artillery has cut electricity transmission lines to the cities of Yenakiieve and Khartsyzsk, leading to the full shutdown of production at its Yenakiieve Steel, Enakievskiy Koksohimprom and Khartsyzsk Pipe plants. Its subsidiary Avdiivka Coke is still cut off from electricity supplies.
Due to ongoing military activity in the area near the cities of Yenakiieve, Avdiivka and Khartsyzsk, it is impossible to carry out work to restore the electricity transmission lines, while representatives of Metinvest Group are doing everything possible to create a "green corridor" for repair teams, Metinvest said in its statement.
Yenakiieve Steel is one of the world's leading producers of square billet, Khartsyzsk Pipe is Ukraine's leading and one of Europe's leading pipe producers, and Avdiivka Coke is one of Europe's largest high-tech coking enterprises. The shutdown of these large metallurgical enterprises which are major employers in these cities affects the entire Ukrainian economy and 15,000 employees and their families. In addition to the social and economic consequences, the residents of southeastern Ukraine are now at risk of man-made disasters.
Avdiivka Coke was fully cut off from electricity supply at the end of last week and production at Yenakiieve Steel was suspended one day before that. On August 16, armed representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic hijacked the newest shunting diesel locomotive from the premises of Yenakiieve Steel.