New Delhi: Two people were killed and 14 employees injured in a Russian missile strike on ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, a company owned by Indian billionaire businessman and "Steel King" Lakshmi Mittal. The attack damaged several key production facilities at the plant, forcing a halt to production activities.
According to reports, the strike hit the country's largest steel plant located in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih—also the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. While this region has frequently been targeted during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the latest attack is expected to have a significant impact on industrial operations.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih issued a statement confirming damage to major facilities linked to power generation and blast furnace operations. The company stated that the damage to these critical units disrupted the production process, necessitating a partial suspension of plant operations.
The company said, "As a result of the attack, key production facilities in the energy generation and blast furnace areas were damaged, causing a partial halt to the plant's production processes."
Large-scale drone attacks continue
This attack comes amidst an intensification of long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine. Both sides have recently been conducting large-scale drone attacks, targeting energy, industrial, and military infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged that the Russian military is consistently targeting civilian and industrial infrastructure. He claimed that over the past week, Russia has launched more than 1,550 attack drones, approximately 1,560 guided bombs, and 62 missiles at various Ukrainian cities. On the other hand, according to reports, the Russian Ministry of Defence stated that a metallurgical plant in Kryvyi Rih and certain military-industrial facilities in Kyiv were among its targets. Russia has also claimed to have destroyed 822 Ukrainian-launched drones in mid-air.