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Ilyich Steel, one of two Mariupol hearths
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When I have visited Mariupol for the first time in 2012 I couldn't imagine I will ever be able to visit local mills. Metinvest, the owner of both plants (Ilyich and Azovstal) used to be extremely sealed company.
Somehow this has changed "thanks" to the war in Donbass. Only few kilometers in front of the battlefront they have nothing to lose now. Me and Sergey vsited Mariupol again in April 2016. Several military checkpoints couldn't stop us, the road from Dnepropetrovsk is exhausting.
The steel mills in Mariupol were founded by american industrialists Rothstein and Smith in 1896. After partial shutdown during the first war months in 2014 (due to railroads destruction) Ilyich Steel runs on full capacity again. It operates 5 blast furnaces, 2 BOF converters, heavy plate and hot strip mill. 14.000 workers.
Mariupol. Ukraine
04/2016
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