According to data from the Ukrainian steelmakers' association Ukrmetallurgprom, Ukraine’s pig iron output reached around 645,000 tons in May, falling by 2.3% compared to the previous month and by 1.3% from the same month a year ago.

During the period, crude steel production dropped by 8% month on month and by 14% year on year to roughly 636,000 tons, and steel product output slid by 4% month on month and by 12% year on year to 525,000 tons.

In the first five months of this year, Ukraine produced 3 million tons of pig iron, a year-on-year hike of 6%. Crude steel output totaled about 3 million tons, up by 8% year on year, and steel product output reached 2.5 million tons, a rise of 8% from the same period last year.