--- title: "Kryvyi Rih Asks Lakshmi Mittal Not to Stop ArcelorMittal: Threat to 17,000 Jobs and Risk of Environmental Disaster" description: "The Kryvyi Rih City Council has appealed to Lakshmi Mittal to reconsider the complete shutdown of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, pointing to the threat to 17,000 jobs and the risk of an environmental disaster." date: 2026-10-29T10:24:32.822Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kryvyi-rih-asks-mittal-not-to-stop-arcelormittal tags: [arcelor-mittal, krivoy-rog, ukraine, steel-industry, lakshmi-mittal, industrial-shutdown] author: "Darya Fomina" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kryvyi Rih Asks Lakshmi Mittal Not to Stop ArcelorMittal: Threat to 17,000 Jobs and Risk of Environmental Disaster ![A worker in a safety helmet watches the metal pouring process into a ladle at the ArcelorMittal plant](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/29/krivoy-rog-prosit-mittala-ne-ostanavlivat-arselormittal/krivoy-rog-prosit-mittala-ne-ostanavlivat-arselormittal-1.webp) ## Key Points - The Kryvyi Rih City Council, led by Acting Mayor Yuriy Vilkul, sent an appeal to Lakshmi Mittal asking to reconsider the complete shutdown of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih - About 17,000 people work at the plant; the authorities point to social and technogenic-environmental risks of a complete shutdown - The decision on a 'cold shutdown' was made after four missile attacks that killed six workers - The city authorities claim that partial operation of the complex is technically feasible and economically viable The Kryvyi Rih City Council, led by Acting Mayor Yuriy Vilkul, has sent an official appeal to Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal asking him to reconsider his intentions to completely halt production at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the website of the Kryvyi Rih City Council. In the document, the city authorities emphasize that a complete shutdown of the plant, which currently employs about 17,000 people, will entail large-scale socio-economic consequences for the entire Kryvyi Rih territorial community and, in their assessment, could negatively affect the stability of the state as a whole amid the ongoing military aggression. ### Social Risks and the Threat of a Technogenic Disaster The appeal focuses on the fact that further large-scale staff reductions will lead to the loss of income for thousands of families and heightened social tension in the city. A separate section of the document is devoted to technogenic and environmental risks: the authorities point to the danger of halting proper maintenance of hydraulic structures in the event of a complete shutdown of the enterprise. As a clear example, they cited the emergency breach of the Central tailings dump dam that occurred in 2021, which demonstrated the consequences that a lack of regular maintenance of such facilities can lead to. ### «Partial Operation is Technically Feasible» According to Vilkul and the deputy corps, the complete cessation of production activities previously announced by company management is not the only possible solution. The appeal explicitly states that even after missile attacks, there remains a technical possibility for the partial operation of the metallurgical complex, provided safety measures for the enterprise's employees are observed. In addition, it is noted that demand for metal products remains on Ukraine's domestic market—specifically for construction and infrastructure restoration—making product sales economically viable. ### Context: From Missile Strikes to a «Cold Shutdown» The decision to transfer the enterprise into a «cold shutdown» mode was made by the management of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih after four devastating missile attacks that killed six plant workers and injured more than 18 others. Initial metallurgical production has already been halted. Over the next two months, according to the previously announced plan, preparations will continue for the safe shutdown and conservation of industrial assets. It is at this stage that the city authorities' appeal was voiced, calling on Lakshmi Mittal to personally intervene in the situation and make a balanced decision aimed at preventing a technogenic and environmental disaster, preserving production potential, and saving the maximum possible number of jobs. ### What's Next At the time of publication, no response has been received from Lakshmi Mittal or the ArcelorMittal corporate office regarding the Kryvyi Rih City Council's appeal. The outcome of the two-month conservation preparation period, as well as whether the decision on a complete shutdown will be revised or supplemented with a partial operation scenario, will be a key factor for the socio-economic situation in one of Ukraine's largest industrial cities. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Власти Кривого Рога просят "АрселорМиттал" не останавливать работу комбината](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vlada-krivogo-rogu-prosit-arselormittal-zupinyati-1793268869.html) - Primary source. All key facts (acting mayor's name, number of workers, circumstances of the shutdown, figures of killed and wounded, reference to the 2021 dam breach) are taken from this material. ## FAQ ### Why is ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih being put into shutdown mode? The decision to shut down was made after four devastating missile attacks that killed six plant workers and injured over 18 people. Initial production has already been stopped, and preparations for the safe conservation of assets are underway for two months. ### What exactly are the Kryvyi Rih authorities asking for? The Kryvyi Rih City Council asks Lakshmi Mittal to personally intervene and reconsider the intentions of a complete shutdown, pointing to the possibility of partial operation, domestic demand for metal products, and the risks of a technogenic-environmental disaster if maintenance of hydraulic structures ceases. ### How many people work at the plant? According to the Kryvyi Rih City Council's appeal, about 17,000 people work at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih.