Inside Ukraine's Last Operational Coal Mine: A Desperate Struggle for Survival

In the shadow of war, miners face uncertainty as their vital coal source comes to a grinding halt.

As night cloaked the area around a coal mine near Ukraine's frontlines, Anton Telegin drove through the darkness, a method to elude the ever-present threat of Russian drones. On this fateful night, just after Christmas, his mission was to collect wages for himself and his fellow workers. This was not a routine task, as Russian troops were now stationed at the mine’s far gates—leading Mr. Telegin to ponder whether this would be his final visit to a place that had been his livelihood for eighteen long years.

Recent months had imposed a heavy toll on the mine. Escalating assaults by Russian forces reached a critical point when a strike destroyed the mine's electricity substation, ceasing operations. Workers began to leave, aware that the days of active mining were numbered. "People were packing up, already saying goodbye," Mr. Telegin, now displaced in Kyiv, reflected on that grim atmosphere.

After the crippling attack, Metinvest, the company that owned the mine located southeast of Pokrovsk, announced the permanent closure of the facility. This mine had been Ukraine's final stronghold producing coking coal, indispensable for steel production, which in turn was crucial for the nation's industrial and military efforts during the ongoing conflict.

In the face of relentless adversity, the closing of the coal mine highlighted a significant blow to Ukraine's war capabilities and underscored the personal toll that warfare takes on its workforce. Amidst a series of military engagements, this mine’s shutdown symbolizes both a loss of vital resources and the broader economic ramifications of a nation under siege.