Zaporizhstal steel plant sustains critical damage in third missile strike

September 13, 2026 at 05:43 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The Zaporizhstal steel plant in Zaporizhzhia sustained critical damage in a ballistic missile attack on the night of September 12, the company said. Four workers were injured, three of them hospitalized. The plant had already halted production after strikes on August 11 and 27 that killed eight people and wounded 26.

Key Facts

Four missiles struck the Zaporizhstal production site in the September 12 attack, injuring at least four workers, three of whom required hospitalization.
The plant had fully halted operations after the August 11 and 27 strikes, which killed eight employees and wounded 26.
In 2025, Zaporizhstal produced over 42% of Ukraine's steel and more than 45% of its pig iron, according to company and industry association data.
The company paid nearly 2.7 billion hryvnias (52.34 million euros) in taxes in 2025 and employed more than 8,000 people as of May 2026.

September 12 Attack

The September 12 attack was the third major missile strike on Zaporizhstal within a month, following strikes on August 11 and 27. Four ballistic missiles hit the production site, damaging blast furnace and open-hearth shop equipment, the energy system, and logistics infrastructure. At least four workers were on site during the attack and sustained injuries; three were hospitalized. Alexander Mironenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest Group, said the scale of destruction is growing with each strike and preliminary assessments classify the damage as critical.

Production and Employment Impact

Zaporizhstal fully halted operations after the August 11 attack, which killed eight employees and wounded 26. The August 27 strike involved five missiles and caused no casualties but damaged the blast furnace shop, energy and transport infrastructure, and open areas. In 2025, the plant produced nearly 3.568 million tonnes of pig iron and 3.212 million tonnes of steel, accounting for more than 45% of Ukraine's pig iron and over 42% of its steel output. As of May 2026, Zaporizhstal was the largest employer in Zaporizhzhia region with more than 8,000 workers, according to an Opendatabot ranking cited by the company.