Ukrainian steelmaker receives first batch of US coking coal after Pokrovsk mine halt
The U.S. supplies are meant to offset the loss of coking coal from the mine near Pokrovsk, which has suspended operations as Russian forces are closing in on the Donetsk Oblast town.
The Ukrainian steelmaker is set to receive a vessel carrying 80,000 metric tons of coal every month to support its operations in the Zaporizhstal and Kamet Steel plants.
"Despite the challenging conditions in the Ukrainian steel industry due to the aggressor's ongoing invasion, we have mobilized our resources to ensure the industry's operation," said Yurii Ryzhenkov, Metinvest's CEO.
"Although coking coal import is more expensive than its domestic equivalent due to logistics, this is an important step to help the Ukrainian economy," the chief executive said, adding that U.S. coal supplies will also provide tens of thousands of jobs and help boost tax revenue.
Metinvest is receiving supplies from United Coal Company, a producer based in the Appalachian region that was acquired by the Ukrainian steelmaker in April 2009.
The Pokrovsk coal mine is one of Eastern Europe's largest and Ukraine's sole producer of coking coal, a key component in steelmaking—Ukraine's second-largest export after agriculture.
Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian forces, has been the focus of fierce fighting as Russia intensifies its offensive in Donetsk Oblast.
Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute
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