The largest steel plant in Ukraine was bombed by the Russian army

Joseph Stalin ordered the Mariupol Steel Plant to be built in 1930 – one of his mega-projects for the industrialization of the Soviet Union. For a while, the complex was one of the largest steel plants in the world. Almost a century later, another Russian leader with Stalinist leanings, Vladimir Putin, ordered its destruction.

Production at one of the largest steel factories in Europe. The Azovstal plant in Mariupol, Ukraine — has been suspended since Russia invaded the country on February 24. Azovstal is part of the Metinvest group, which is controlled by Ukraine’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov.

Some of the equipment of the metallurgical enterprises were put into hot preservation mode. This decision was made to protect the workers and to preserve the equipment. Now, things look even worse for the world’s 12th largest steel producer.

On March 20, the Russian bombings severely affected Azovstal. The plant alone produced almost half of the country’s steel production last year. If Ukraine lost 0.7% of its annual steel production in just the first five days of the war, any long-term damage to the plant will have far greater economic consequences for the country and its biggest steel customers.

The largest steel plants in Ukraine owned by the main metallurgical group of the country, Metinvest, are located in Mariupol.

The Steel Plant in Mariupol bombed by the Russians

The bombs dropped on the blast furnaces in Mariupol, the Ukrainian city under Russian siege, are a symbol of how the war turned the steel market upside down.

The world is focused on the impact of the war on global energy markets. But, along with oil, steel is a pillar of the modern economy. The ubiquitous commodity that underlies the world as we know it, a key material in many fields, from skyscrapers and cars to railways.

Images from the site of the bombings were made public, showing the disaster in the industrial area of ​​Mariupol. The port city on the Sea of ​​Azov, destroyed to the extent of 80-90% by the constant attacks of the Russian army.

„Mariupol also hosts the largest commercial port on the Sea of ​​Azov, from where Ukraine exports grain, iron and steel. And the fall of the city would be an economic blow to Ukraine and a symbolic victory for Russia.” Writes The Guardian publication.

Ukrainian parliamentarian Lesia Vasylenko posted a video of the explosions showing thick plumes of gray and black smoke rising from buildings. „One of the largest metallurgical factories in Europe was destroyed. The economic losses for Ukraine are huge. The environment is devastated,” she wrote on Twitter.