On the night of 16 August, Russian forces attacked Kryvyi Rih with ballistic missiles and attack drones. One of the targets was the ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih plant: two people were killed and a further 14 were injured. The strike damaged the power generation and blast furnace facilities, forcing the plant to suspend some of its production processes.
Briefly about the main points
- Russia has used missiles and attack drones against Kryvyi Rih.
- Rescue workers have recovered the body of a second victim from the rubble.
- Eleven injured people were taken to hospital; a 48-year-old man is in a serious condition.
- Those injured include employees of the plant and contractors.
Rescuers have found a second victim
Following the initial report of one fatality, rescue workers recovered the body of another person from the rubble. According to updated figures from the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, the number of injured has risen to 14.
Eleven people have been admitted to hospital. One of them, a 48-year-old man, is in a serious condition; the rest of those admitted have moderate injuries or are undergoing the necessary examinations.
The plant has an emergency response plan in place
The company has confirmed that the facility was hit by a missile strike. Among those affected are factory workers and contractors.
An emergency response plan has been put into effect on the plant’s premises. The company’s fire service, rescue workers, medical staff, employees of the health and safety department and other relevant services have been mobilised.
Search and rescue operations are continuing. Medical assistance is being provided to the injured in hospitals in Kryvyi Rih.
Power and blast furnace facilities have been damaged
The attack caused damage to key facilities in the power generation and blast furnace sectors. As a result of the damage, the company has temporarily suspended some of its production processes.
Experts are inspecting the affected sites, assessing the extent of the damage and determining whether operations can be resumed. The company has not specified a timeframe for a return to normal operations. At the time of publication, there had been no reports of a threat to residents of neighbouring areas or of any emergency releases.
The plant was operating at a lower level than before the war
«ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih» has a complete production cycle — from iron ore mining to the production of rolled steel. Prior to the full-scale invasion, its capacity exceeded six million tonnes of steel per year.
By the end of 2025, the plant had produced 1.69 million tonnes of steel. In February, a company spokesperson reported that the plant was operating at approximately half capacity. The temporary shutdown of power generation and blast furnace facilities may complicate efforts to stabilise production; the actual extent of the downtime will be determined by the results of a technical inspection.
