Southern Mining Complex partially suspends operations due to Russian attacks on civilian vessels

The Southern Mining and Processing Plant is partially halting operations due to Russian attacks on civilian merchant ships heading to Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

This was reported at the company.

The company explained that due to constant attacks on civilian ships, maritime logistics have virtually stopped. Shipowners are not willing to risk their crews, so the export of products through Ukrainian ports is almost blocked. As a result, large volumes of iron ore have accumulated in the ports and warehouses of the plant, which cannot be shipped to buyers.

The company says that this decision was forced and they tried to postpone it as long as possible. After the start of the full-scale war, the plant continued to operate despite Russian shelling, power outages, expensive transportation of products, new European environmental requirements, and restrictions on Ukrainian metallurgical products.

However, in July, the situation with sea exports deteriorated sharply. According to the company, Russian troops began systematically attacking civilian merchant ships. As a result, exports have effectively stopped, and the company is no longer able to stockpile finished products.

Despite the suspension of production, workers will not be left without work. They are planned to be involved in repairs and scheduled maintenance of equipment. Production at the plant is expected to resume after the security situation improves.

The Southern Mining and Metallurgical Complex also called on the authorities and international partners to strengthen the protection of port infrastructure and civilian vessels. The company emphasizes that not only metallurgy, but also exports, foreign exchange earnings, and the stability of the Ukrainian economy depend on the operation of seaports.

We will remind, earlier the Russian occupiers carried out a drone strike on the port infrastructure of the Mykolaiv region , as a result of which two civilian vessels were damaged.

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