Ukraine saw a 16% m/m decline in rolled steel production in April

According to data from the SE Ukrmetallurgprom, Ukraine’s steel mills reduced their production of finished steel products by 15.8% in April 2026 compared to the previous month, down to 460,800 metric tons.

Steel output in Ukraine in April decreased by 25.3% month-on-month to 517,300 tons. Pig iron production for the month amounted to 554,000 tons (-16.1% month-on-month).

For the January-April period, steel production fell by 7.4% compared to the same period last year—to 2.25 million tons; pig iron production—by 0.3%, to 2.36 million tons; and rolled steel production—by 9.1% year-on-year, to 1.8 million tons.

In April, steel production in Ukraine fell across all sectors, although March had shown signs of recovery following a weak start to the year. The factor behind the April decline in production was an unscheduled shutdown of Zaporizhstal’s production facilities. High electricity and gas prices, as well as the impact of the CBAM, remain pressing issues.

As a reminder, by the end of 2025, Ukraine’s steel industry increased production of commercial rolled steel by 4.8% year-on-year, to 6.52 million tons. Pig iron production last year rose by 11.2% year-on-year, to 7.88 million tons, while steel production fell by 2.2% year-on-year, to 7.41 million tons. The sector’s indicators continued to grow last year, reaching their highest levels since the start of the full-scale invasion, with the exception of steel production.

In its December forecast, GMK Center estimated potential steel output in 2026 at 7.2 million tons (base case), which assumes neutral dynamics compared to 2025. This is the maximum production volume under current conditions. Under a pessimistic scenario, the country faces a decline to levels close to those of 2023—6.3–6.6 million tons.