The Mariupol Illich Iron and Steel Works, once one of the flagships of Ukrainian industry, has been transformed into a military stronghold and a center for profitable scrap metal trade during the Russian occupation. This was reported by Petro Andryushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, writes UNN.
Details
According to Andryushchenko, the strategic enterprise, which before the war provided jobs for thousands of Mariupol residents and produced world-class steel, is now completely subordinated to the military needs of the Russian Federation. The territory of the Illich Iron and Steel Works is fenced off and controlled by the occupying security forces, and ammunition depots, repair zones for military equipment, and barracks for personnel have been set up in the workshops and hangars.
In addition, according to Andryushchenko, the occupiers are using the remaining production capacities for large-scale dismantling of equipment and infrastructure for scrap metal. From there, tons of metal are transported daily by trucks and railway cars to the Russian Federation, turning the former industrial heart of Mariupol into a source of quick enrichment.
The Illich Iron and Steel Works is now not about steel production, but about looting and militarization. The Russians are demonstrating a classic scenario of colonial exploitation: seize, extract resources, and use the territory for war
Experts note that such use of the enterprise may pose a danger to civilians, as the placement of military depots and equipment in the industrial zone makes it a potential target for hostilities.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion, the Illich Iron and Steel Works was one of the largest metallurgical plants in Ukraine, producing products that were exported to more than 50 countries around the world. Today, its territory has become a symbol of destruction and illegal exploitation of the occupied city.
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