Ukraine’s steel industry recorded a strong monthly recovery in May, with production of commercial rolled steel increasing by 16.7% compared with April, according to data released by industry association Ukrmetallurgprom.
Rolled steel output reached 537,800 tonnes during the month, representing a 2.5% increase compared with May 2025.
Ukraine boosts steel production as mills increase output in May
The improvement was also reflected in crude steel production, which rose to 629,400 tonnes in May. That marked a 21.7% increase from the previous month, although output remained 1% below the level recorded a year earlier.
Pig iron production also increased
Pig iron production climbed to 634,400 tonnes in May, up 14.5% month-on-month.
However, compared with the same month last year, pig iron output declined by 1.6%, highlighting the continued impact of war-related disruptions on Ukraine’s industrial sector.
The country’s steel industry continues to operate under difficult conditions, including infrastructure damage, energy supply risks, labour shortages and logistical challenges linked to Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Output remains below last year’s levels
Despite the strong performance in May, production during the first five months of 2026 remained below the levels recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Between January and May, Ukrainian steelmakers produced:
- 2.87 million tonnes of crude steel, down 6.1% year-on-year;
- 2.99 million tonnes of pig iron, down 0.6%;
- 2.34 million tonnes of rolled steel, down 6.7%.
The figures suggest that while production has recovered from earlier weaknesses this year, the sector has yet to regain the momentum seen in 2025.
Highest production levels since the invasion
Ukraine’s steel industry showed signs of recovery throughout 2025, reaching its highest production levels since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Last year, rolled steel output increased by 4.8% to 6.52 million tonnes, while pig iron production rose by 11.2% to 7.88 million tonnes.
Crude steel production, however, declined by 2.2% year-on-year to 7.41 million tonnes.
The sector remains one of Ukraine’s most important export industries and a key contributor to foreign currency earnings.
Uncertain outlook for 2026
According to forecasts from consulting firm GMK Centre, Ukraine could produce around 7.2 million tonnes of steel in 2026 under a base-case scenario, broadly matching last year’s performance.
A more pessimistic outlook suggests production could fall to between 6.3 million and 6.6 million tonnes, bringing the industry back to levels last seen in 2023.
Future performance will largely depend on factors such as electricity availability, export demand, logistics capacity and the broader security situation in the country.
Source: Ukrmetallurgprom, GMK Centre
Fact Check:
Ukraine has historically been one of Europe’s largest steel-producing nations and a major exporter of iron ore and steel products. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the industry has faced severe disruptions, including the loss of key industrial assets, energy shortages and transport bottlenecks. Despite these challenges, several steel plants have gradually restored operations and increased production over the past two years.
