Metinvest’s Pokrovske mine continues to produce coking coal and is currently operating four mining sites, the group’s chief executive, Yuri Ryzhenkov, said during a trip last week to the Donetsk region, where he visited the assets of Metinvest Pokrovskvugol.
“Today, we have proven sales channels and we also managed to find additional markets not only in Ukraine but also in other countries – Slovakia, Hungary, Poland,” the company tells Kallanish. “We are considering the possibility of cooperation with Western European plants.”
The company is ready to increase production and penetration rates, and make additional investments in the development and modernisation of the enterprise, Ryzhenkov added.
“We continue to work and understand that in the next 10-15 years our coal will be in demand, because it is too early to talk about clean technologies and green steel,” he concluded. “Although I am sure that the transition to green steel is inevitable, it will take time. Therefore, we intend to implement our plans for the development and modernisation of the Pokrovske mine.”
Earlier, Metinvest said it has reoriented its exports of steel products, due to the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, to the markets of Central and Eastern Europe (see Kallanish passim).
However, the group’s overall capacity utilisation has been reduced by more than 40% due to the loss of its Mariupol plants, logistical problems and other restrictions caused by the war.
Metinvest is also looking at options to produce more steel at its subsidiaries in the EU using Ukrainian commodities.
The company has asked steel buyers not to purchase steel products from Ilyich Steel and Azovstal that it says have been stolen by Russian forces from the port of Mariupol.
Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria
