Russian Ballistic Missiles Strike Zaporizhstal Steel Plant, Injuring 4

Russian forces launched four ballistic missiles targeting the Zaporizhstal metallurgical plant in Zaporizhzhia early Saturday morning, Sept. 12, injuring four workers and inflicting critical damage on industrial facilities, company officials reported. The strike marks the third ballistic missile attack against the steel manufacturing facility within the past month, following earlier strikes on Aug. 11 and Aug. 27. The plant had remained non-operational since the August bombardments.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. According to a company statement, the four incoming missiles hit production areas across the site. Three injured workers were hospitalized with moderate injuries following emergency treatment, while a fourth employee declined hospitalization and assisted emergency crews at the scene. Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest Group, stated that the facility produced pig iron and rolled steel exclusively for civilian sectors, rejecting any military utility. “Zaporizhstal produced pig iron and steel for civilian needs,” Myronenko said. “The plant did not produce military goods and did not house anything on its territory that could make it a military target. After the strikes on Aug. 11 and Aug. 27, the enterprise had not yet resumed production, but even this did not prevent a new attack.” Myronenko described the scale of destruction as expanding with each successive strike. “While a final evaluation is not yet possible, we preliminarily assess the damage as critical,” he added. Other Topics of Interest Most Ukrainian Refugees in Poland Plan to Return Home, Survey Finds A new survey reveals that 51% of Ukrainian refugees in Poland plan to return home, with most waiting until the war ends. Equipment and power network damage The enterprise reported that the missile impacts damaged main and auxiliary equipment in the blast furnace and open-hearth shops, disrupted internal electrical grids and power supply systems, and damaged logistics infrastructure. Because production operations had already been halted following the August attacks, personnel density on-site was restricted, and enterprise officials confirmed there is no risk of a technological or environmental disaster. Technical and emergency teams continue cleanup operations and structural assessments to determine the full extent of the destruction across the industrial complex. Wider overnight strikes across southern Ukraine The attack on the Zaporizhzhia metallurgical complex coincided with a large-scale Russian missile and drone assault targeting southern Ukraine, with the Odesa region serving as the primary axis. In Odesa, Russian strikes hit residential neighborhoods, injuring at least 35 people – including a five-month-old infant and a 17-year-old boy – and igniting a major fire across the 21st through 23rd floors of a 25-story apartment building. Municipal emergency services evacuated 13 residents, including trapped occupants freed from elevators, while search operations continued for two missing individuals. Outside Odesa, incoming munitions struck the port city of Chornomorsk, injuring five civilians – including four children – and setting private homes and a hotel housing a rehabilitation facility on fire. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched a coordinated nationwide assault using Iskander-M and KN-23 ballistic missiles, eight sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles, six Kh-59/69 guided missiles, and 129 strike and decoy drones. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 110 aerial targets nationwide, including six Kalibr missiles and 101 unmanned aerial vehicles. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.