2 killed as Russian strike hits ArcelorMittal steel plant in Ukraine

Two people were killed after a Russian strike hit the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Ukraine, partially disrupting operations at the country's largest steelworks owned by Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.

According to Russian state-run newspaper Rossiya Gazeta, the strike on Sunday, August 16 hit key energy and blast furnace production facilities at the plant in Kryvyi Rih.

"ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine's largest steel plant, announced a partial shutdown following Russian strikes," it said.

The report described the facility as part of Ukraine's strategic economic and security complex.

Quoting ArcelorMittal’s press service, Ukraine's English-language newspaper Kyiv Post reported that the missile strike on the facility killed two people and injured 13 workers and contractors.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, involving firefighters, rescue workers, and medical personnel, it said.

The attack damaged primary production facilities related to energy and blast furnace operations, prompting a partial suspension of the plant’s production processes.

Specialists are currently assessing the extent of the damage and the timeline for repairs, the report said.

The plant, which is a civilian industrial infrastructure, previously sustained a Russian missile strike in 2022, which destroyed a rolling mill and killed one worker, the Post report said.