A Russian missile hit ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, a major integrated steel and mining complex in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, during overnight attacks on August 15-16, according to the plant's press service cited by the UNN. Two people were killed and 13 were injured including employees and contractors.
The strike caused significant damage to the plant's infrastructure, with Reuters reporting damage to power generation facilities and blast furnace operations. The damage was serious enough to cause a partial suspension of production.
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It is noted that the emergency response plan was put into effect. Fire service, occupational safety department, rescuers, and medical personnel were working at the scene after the strike. The victims of the enemy missile strike are receiving all necessary medical assistance at medical facilities in the city, UNN reported.
The State Emergency Service (SES) reported that the fire engulfed the territory, completely burning down several rows of retail pavilions and destroying inventory. The SES noted that rescue workers continued to manage the aftermath of the strikes, which also caused fires and structural damage in the Holosiivskyi district.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Aug. 16 that Russian forces launched over 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 aerial bombs, and 62 missiles – primarily ballistic – at Ukraine over the previous week.
In a statement on Telegram, cited by Kyiv Post, Zelenskyy highlighted that the attacks targeted 13 regions across the country. He noted that strikes also targeted Kremenchuk with ballistic missiles, stating that civilian infrastructure is hit wherever Russian ballistic capabilities can reach.
In a recent statement, ArcelorMittal Kryivyi Rih CEO Mauro Longobardo stated that the company was already dealing with severe economic pressure, including high European electricity costs and the impact of trade rules on exports. The latest physical damage could therefore add another disruption to an operation already functioning under wartime constraints.
The Ukrainian President reiterated calls for international partners to supply Ukraine with air defence systems.
“When North Korean ballistic missiles destroy infrastructure and take lives here in Europe, European interceptors cannot simply remain in warehouses,” Zelenskyy said, as cited by Kyiv Post. “Protecting lives is necessary. Russia must be stopped. New packages mean literally saved lives and protected infrastructure every day.”
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is not simply a steel rolling facility, it is an integrated mining and metallurgical operation, with facilities covering iron ore processing, sintering, blast furnaces, steelmaking and rolling. It is a part of ArcelorMittal, the global steel and mining group.
Lakshmi Mittal is the Indian-origin billionaire associated with ArcelorMittal, which is why the facility is often described in Indian media as Mittal's Ukrainian steel plant.
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