NOVO-OGARYOVO, July 15. /TASS/. The People’s Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk have built up metal production by 30% year-on-year in 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at the opening ceremony of metallurgical industry facilities in the regions. He took part in the ceremony in a video conference mode.

"Over the last year, compared to the previous year - for 2023 compared to 2022 - in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic, the production of metal products increased by 30%," the head of state said.

"[That's] a very good indicator," Putin added.

The president noted that today another step is being taken in the development of the country’s metallurgical industry, since new production facilities are opening in the Chelyabinsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions, as well as, "which is especially significant, in the Donetsk People’s Republic."

"To restore and upgrade the metallurgical system-forming sector of the Donbass economy, to improve the working conditions of the employees, of course, much remains to be done, there are still a lot of tasks. We will gradually solve these problems and integrate the industry into the single economic space of Russia," the president assured.