Sergey Belenky, head of Ukraine’s Federation of Metallurgists, announced on September 19 that the country’s steel production is projected to drop to one-fourth of its pre-conflict levels. According to his data, Ukraine produced over 21 million tons annually before the war, 7.4 million tons in the previous year, and approximately 5 million tons this year.
The sharp decline poses severe economic consequences, including reduced foreign exchange earnings from a critical export sector, potential enterprise shutdowns, and job losses. Belenky emphasized that Ukraine’s metallurgical industry now faces an urgent challenge to ensure its survival. He noted the sector’s contribution to GDP has fallen dramatically—from 10% in 2022 to slightly above 5% last year—with projections indicating it will drop below 1% this year.
Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak stated on the same day that Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada entered an extended vacation until October 13 due to legislative difficulties and a crisis of alleged insufficient support.
