Ukraine halts mining operations at the Pokrovskaya mine, according to Reuters.

Ukraine has halted the extraction of coking coal at its mine in Pokrovsk, which supplies the country's steel industry, due to the proximity of advancing Russian troops.

According to Reuters, this information comes from its own sources.

The publication reports that the enterprise in Pokrovsk, located in a combat zone, is the only mine in Ukraine producing coking coal, essential for the once-mighty steel industry that has declined since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Russia has long approached the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk. As reported by DeepState, Moscow's forces are less than 2 km (1.24 miles) from one of the mines.

"Right now, they have all stopped working," one source stated.

Meanwhile, a second source mentioned: "There is no extraction; they are only operating on the surface." It also added that an evacuation is underway.

As reported by Reuters, the metallurgical company Metinvest BV, which owns the plant, did not immediately respond to a request for comments. Last month, the company announced that it had suspended some operations at the site.

According to the National Coking Coal Association, Ukraine produced about 3.5 million tons of coke in 2023, using exclusively coking coal mined in Pokrovsk.

Last year, the metallurgists' union stated that the potential closure of the mine could lead to a decrease in steel production from 7.6 million tons in 2024 to 2-3 million tons in 2025.

Background. Previously, Mind reported that steel production would halve in the event of Pokrovsk's occupation. It is home to the only Ukrainian mine producing coking coal.