Seven killed in Kyiv airstrike as ArcelorMittal suspends production at Ukraine's largest steelworks
The Kyiv attack left seven dead, including a 14-year-old, and ArcelorMittal said safe operation is impossible after four strikes in five weeks.
Seven people were killed and 58 injured in an airstrike on Kyiv yesterday, authorities said, with the victims including a 14-year-old boy. The attack came as steelmaker ArcelorMittal announced it is suspending production at Ukraine's largest steelworks.
ArcelorMittal told the Ukrainian government that safe and sustainable operations are no longer possible after four separate strikes in five weeks that caused heavy damage and led to the deaths of five employees at the plant, which is located in the southeast of the country.
Repeated strikes deepen economic toll
The decision to halt production marks another blow to Ukraine's once-robust steel sector. The industry previously accounted for about 15% of the country's exports but has come under mounting pressure from continued Russian attacks and restrictions imposed by the European Union, its main trading partner.
In recent months Russia has intensified air strikes across Ukraine using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, officials say. Those strikes have hit business sites, logistics networks, Black Sea port capacities and civilian infrastructure.
Officials warn the economic damage is eroding tax revenues and widening the budget deficit as the government struggles to finance the war effort. The suspension of operations at the country's largest steelworks is expected to have ripple effects on jobs, regional logistics and export income.
Photo: DPA)
