In what promises to be a major milestone in more than two-and-a-half years of war, Russia is closing in on the capture of a vital industrial asset a Ukrainian coal mine that's a cornerstone of the country's steel industry. Owned by Ukrainian firm Metinvest, the modern facility -- opened in 1990 -- is Ukraine's largest mine for producing coking-coal, a specific grade used to fuel blast furnaces.
At that time, Ukraine ranked 14th in global steel production; by last year, it had fallen to 24th place. This year, Metinvest expected to unearth 5.3 million metric tons of coal in the mine near Pokrovsk.
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