The plant, which was stopped after Russian ballistic strikes on August 11, has been hit again. At dawn on September 17, Russia launched two ballistic missiles at Zaporizhstal. The epicenters of the hits fell on industrial sites of workshops, and engineering and railway networks were significantly damaged. There were no fatalities, but one employee was hospitalized.
“The aggressor country has launched a total of 17 ballistic missiles at Zaporizhstal since August. This is the fourth attack in a little over a month – systemic terror against Ukrainian industry and people. Russia continues to wage war on civilians and deliberately destroy the production that ensures the viability of the Ukrainian economy, provides jobs for thousands of Zaporizhzhia residents and produces Ukrainian steel. Repeated strikes on a stalled enterprise are an attempt to prevent it from recovering and returning to work,” said Metinvest Group’s Chief Operating Officer Oleksandr Myronenko.
In accordance with the enterprise’s wartime threat response regulations, at the time of the missile threat announcement, all employees were notified in advance and given the order to move to protective structures, where they remained until the end of the call. At the time of the strike, one of the employees did not have time to reach the protective structure. Thanks to the joint coordinated actions of the enterprise’s employees and emergency responders, the person was unblocked, provided first aid and hospitalized in a city hospital with shrapnel wounds and a concussion. The enterprise is monitoring the victim’s condition and will provide him with the necessary support until his full recovery. There were no fatalities at the enterprise.
The attack significantly damaged the main and auxiliary technological and auxiliary equipment, shop buildings, and railway infrastructure. Work is ongoing at the plant to dismantle the rubble and eliminate the consequences of the Russian attack for examination and further assessment of the damage.
Zaporizhstal is being systematically attacked by the aggressor. On August 11, the Russian attack damaged the main technological and auxiliary equipment, infrastructure, and power system at the plant, killing 8 employees and wounding 28. Production chains at the plant were disrupted, and the plant completely stopped. On August 27, the same production facilities were damaged as a result of an enemy attack, but there were no deaths or injuries. The attack on September 12 hit the blast furnace and steelmaking production, energy facilities and networks, and logistics, and four employees of the plant were injured.
Zaporizhstal remains an important industrial enterprise in Zaporizhzhia and Ukraine. Metinvest’s task today is to preserve the plant and its team, its production potential and the possibility of recovery. Each new Russian strike makes this more difficult, but does not change this goal. (Zaporizhstal)