Ukraine’s forces suffered their worst week of the year as Russia made key gains on multiple fronts.
Russian troops breached defenses near one eastern Ukrainian city and encircled another, and Kyiv’s forces were forced to withdraw at several points, investigative outlet Meduza reported.
Ukraine’s largest coal mine, central to the country’s steel production, is among the threatened assets, with invading troops less than 10 miles away. If the mine were to fall, it would force Ukraine to rely on coal imports and hugely increase the cost of steel, possibly leading to a drop in production of up to 80%, the head of Ukraine‘s steelmakers’ association told Reuters.
Steel accounted for a third of the country’s exports before Russia’s full-scale invasion, The Economist reported.