Reuters reported that the steel production of Ukraine could be cut in half if Russian troops seize a coal mine near Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast. Oleksandr Kalinko, the head the Ukrainian steelmakers’ association, was quoted as saying this on October 16.
The Pokrovske coalmine, the largest coal producer in Ukraine, and one of the biggest in Eastern Europe, lies 10 km (6 miles), west of Pokrovsk. Reuters reported that the mine produces coal used in coke production, which is needed for steelmaking. Steelmaking is Ukraine’s second largest source of currency, after agriculture.
The eastern front, near the town, has been the site of fierce fighting in Donetsk Oblast for several months. Pokrovsk serves as a vital logistical hub for Ukrainian troops.
Exports of steel products reached nearly $2 billion during the first eight months in 2024, according to trade data.
Kalenkov stated that Ukrainian steelmakers were capable of producing up to 7.5 millions metric tons of metal by the end the year. He also said they planned to increase their production to 10 million tons by 2025.
“But if Pokrovsk is lost, then… we’ll fall to 2-3 millions tons,” he said.
Anatolii starovoit, head of the Ukrkoks Coke Association, said that in 2023 Ukraine produced 3.5 million tonnes of coke using only coking coal from Pokrovsk.
“We don’t even know where to buy coal if Pokrovsk was taken,” he said.
Unnamed sources in the steel industry told Reuters that producers would look for alternative sources of coking-coal elsewhere in Ukraine if Russia occupied the Pokrovsk mining sites. Imports would be necessary and increase production costs. Steel would become less competitive.
Serhii dobriak, head of the military administration in Pokrovsk, said that Russian forces were less then 7 kilometers away from the town’s outskirts as of October 4. Around 13,000 people were still in the town as the evacuation continued.
Pokrovske coal mining is located 10 km (6miles) west of Pokrovsk. It is the largest coal mine in Ukraine, and one of the biggest in Eastern Europe.
This includes 1,420 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
Nikita Klinkov, deputy commander of an intelligence unit for the Russian military intelligence agency GRU, was killed in Moscow Oblast on October 16 by an unknown assailant. This was reported by Russian state-controlled media.
The White House has rescheduled the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting for November in a virtually based setting, after U.S. president Joe Biden cancelled all his foreign trips this month due to the effects of multiple hurricanes in the United States.
Voice of America reported that Smith stated, “We are not in a stage where the Alliance will be discussing issuing an invite in the near future.” Smith was speaking ahead of a NATO meeting of defense ministers in Brussels.
The Guardian reported that U.K. counterterrorism officials are investigating if Russian intelligence agents planted an incendiary inside a parcel which caught fire in a warehouse near Birmingham. The Guardian reported on Oct. 16 that U.K. counter-terrorism officials are investigating whether Russian intelligence officers planted an incendiary device inside a parcel that caught fire at a warehouse near Birmingham.
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, announced that the next meeting between the Ukraine and NATO Council will be held on October 17. The meeting will include defense ministers of NATO member states and Ukraine’s Rustem Umerov, the country’s Minister of Defense.
The White House released a statement saying that the new package would include “additional capabilities in air defense, air-to ground munitions, armored cars, and critical munitions for Ukraine’s urgent requirements.”
According to unnamed sources cited by RBC-Ukraine, the individual in question is Oleh Hrybenko. He is reportedly responsible, according to the media outlet, for maintaining the security at critical infrastructure facilities.
The tanks will be part of a larger package worth 245 million Australian Dollars ($163 millions).
It wasn’t the first time that missiles and drone debris were found on Moldovan soil.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he would “if asked” speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but that no decisions would take place without the input from Ukraine or other Western Allies.
The Defense Ministry stated that the drone is resistant to electronic warfare from Russia and can adjust artillery fire thanks to its “high-tech materials”.
In an interview published by Tengrinews.kz on October 16, a government spokeswoman said that Kazakhstan’s President has “carefully” considered proposals to join BRICS, but Astana won’t seek to join “in the near future”.
According to HUR’s report, Ukrainian soldiers captured an area of Russian battalion defence, destroyed three motorized-rifle battalions, Storm platoons, and a reconnaissance unit of Russia’s Seventh Separate Motorized Rifle Regiment.
Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned power company, said later in the day that repairs were underway. The outages had been caused by “technical” reasons that were not specified. The energy supply will resume “within a few hours.”
CNN reported on October 16 that U.S. president Joe Biden will meet with the leaders of Germany France and the U.K. later this week in Berlin after his earlier trip was postponed because of Hurricane Milton.
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