Russian Strikes Devastate Metinvest’s Zaporizhstal Factory, Epicentr Mall in Zaporizhzhia

Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia have severely damaged two major Ukrainian businesses, forcing a complete shutdown of Metinvest’s Zaporizhstal steel plant and destroying an Epicentr shopping center. Seven workers were killed and 21 others were injured in the early morning attacks on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 respectively. Overnight Aug. 10-11, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on the Metinvest industrial complex, which occurred as workers were heading to a bomb shelter immediately after the alarm went off, the parent company Metinvest said.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The attack directly struck essential facilities in Zaporizhstal’s coke and blast furnace divisions, destroying power units and critical grid infrastructure. With its core iron and coking power severed, the metallurgical giant was forced to completely shut down its blast furnaces, the company said. The attack is a major blow to Ukraine’s heavy industry as the plant had already reported a net loss of Hr. 1.06 billion ($25.7 million) for the first half of 2026, down from Hr. 1.37 billion profit in the same period last year. Other regional Metinvest facilities are operating at reduced capacity while specialists assess repair timelines. Founded in 1933, Zaporizhstal is one of the largest metallurgical companies in Ukraine and is part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest Group. The plant exports steel products to more than 50 countries and has an annual production capacity of 4 million tons of pig iron, 3.6 million tons of hot-rolled steel and 1.2 million tons of cold-rolled steel. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Claims Heavy Russian Losses, Successful Counteroffensive in South The exact territory retaken and degree of Ukrainian control remain disputed, but multiple sources confirm substantial ground gains. The Kremlin continues to insist that Russia is advancing. Early on Aug. 12, Russian strikes targeted an Epicentr shopping center in a residential district of Zaporizhzhia, triggering a massive fire, Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration head Ivan Fedorov reported. The strike was the latest blow to Epicentr, Ukraine’s largest home improvement retailer. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Russian attacks have destroyed 417,000 square meters of Epicentr’s retail space and damaged a further 500,000 square meters, causing billions of dollars in losses to goods and infrastructure. Epicentr K was founded by Oleksandr and Halyna Hereha in 2003, when the company opened its first home improvement store in Kyiv. The chain currently operates 72 shopping centers across Ukraine, with a total retail area of more than 2 million square meters (21.5 million square feet) and around 38,000 employees. Approximately 4,600 of its employees are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.