MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. The shutdown of metallurgical plants in Ukraine in the fall of 2026 has dramatically reshaped the country’s domestic steel market, turning it from a major producer and exporter into an importer, Ekonomicheskaya Pravda newspaper reported.
"Following the shutdown of major metallurgical plants, Ukraine, which produced more than 21 mln metric tons of metal annually before 2022 and was a major exporter, is now dependent on imports," the newspaper reported, citing a report by Ukrmetallurgprom, an association of the country’s mining and metallurgical enterprises.
The construction industry was among the first to feel the impact, as domestic production of reinforcing steel bars (rebar) has ceased and existing inventories are rapidly dwindling. "In the first three quarters of 2026, rebar imports totaled 84,000 metric tons, almost 1.5 times the volume recorded a year earlier," the report said. "The monthly shortage of the most widely used types of rolled steel products has already reached approximately 200,000 metric tons, and imports are failing to keep pace."
Logistical challenges are hampering import growth. With the ports of Greater Odessa blocked, steel must be shipped through ports in Romania and Bulgaria before being transported onward by rail or road. Deliveries can take at least two months. Rising domestic transportation costs are adding further pressure, as freight tariffs on Ukraine’s railways increased by 30% in August, driving up production and import costs.
As a result, construction costs have risen by 30-35% over the past year alone, while rebar prices have increased by approximately 60%, according to Ukraine’s mining and metallurgical industry representatives.