Ukraine’s key Pokrovsk coal mine still operating as Russian troops move closer

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KYIV (Reuters) – The coal mine in the eastern Ukraine town of Pokrovsk, a supplier of coking coal vital for the steel industry, is still operating despite the approach of Russian forces, an industry source said on Tuesday.

Ukrainian military analysts said this week that Russian troops had moved to within about 7.5 km (4.6 miles) of Pokrovsk, overwhelming Ukraine’s stretched defences with vastly superior numbers and equipment.

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces repelled 31 Russian attacks in the Pokrovsk sector, the military said.

The mine lies 10 km (6.2 miles) west of the town, a strategic supply hub, in the opposite direction to the advancing Russian forces.

The industry source, who asked not to be named, did not say at what point the mine’s owner, metallurgical group Metinvest, might be forced to halt operations and evacuate staff.

Earlier, Metinvest said it was prioritising workers’ safety and was helping to evacuate the families of employees from the frontline area.

Ukraine’s steelmakers’ union said this month the potential closure of the Pokrovsk mine, the only domestic source of coking coal essential for steelmaking, could cause steel production to slump to 2 million-3 million metric tons next year from the 7.5 million expected in 2024.

Producers hope to find alternative sources of coking coal from elsewhere in Ukraine should the Pokrovsk mine be seized by Russian troops, but imports would inevitably be needed – hiking their costs.