Zhdanivska coal mine

Zhdanivska coal mine
Location
ProductsCoal
Production712,000
Opened1957
CompanyZhovtenvuhillya

The Zhdanivska coal mine (Ukrainian: Шахта «Жданівська») is a large coal mine located in the south-east of Ukraine in Donetsk Oblast. With estimated reserves of 43.3 million tonnes, Zhdanivska represents one of the largest coal reserves in Ukraine.[1] The annual coal production is around 712,000 tonnes.

Since 2014 the mine has been occupied by pro-Russian forces, initially with the Donetsk People's Republic and then from 2022 Russia itself.

History

Since 2014, the mine has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists, who annexed the territory into the pro-Russian, self-declared Donetsk People's Republic during the War in the Donbas. After the annexation, the mine's director became Ruslan Dubovsky, who was concurrently serving as the DPR's Minister of Coal and Energy.[2] In May 2014, the mine signed a contract with the Swiss company FLAME for the sale of 77,000 tonnes of energy coal of grade T.[2] The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) later alleged that through DPR leadership, the mine was organising a series of coal exports to international buyers worth over 433 million hryvnias, and later criminal proceedings were opened.[3][4]

In 2022, the DPR was annexed by Russia in a highly controversial referendum. On 31 December 2024, the mine was transferred from the DPR's state authority, GURSH, to LLC "Shakht Zhdanovskaya" under a lease arrangement. The plan that was proposed was an investment of over 2 billion rubles in the mine by the company.

Incidents

On 25 January 2014, a rock outburst occurred at 650 metres, which killed one miner and left three others in serious condition.[5] Four years later, on 21 January 2018, an explosion of a methane mixture killed two miners.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Coal mine methane in Ukraine" (PDF). epa.gov. epa.gov. January 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
  2. 1 2 "Вугілля із «ДНР» продали у Швейцарії на мільйони доларів". Politeka (in Ukrainian). 20 July 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Посадові особи ВАТ "Шахта Жданівська" фінансували "ДНР" за схемою експортування вугілля - СБУ". Інтерфакс-Україна (in Ukrainian). 10 June 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "СБУ порушила справу на 433 млн грн по шахті "Жданівська" в Донецькій обл". РБК-Украина (in Russian). 17 June 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Аварія на шахті: один шахтар загинув, троє у важкому стані". 24 Канал (in Ukrainian). 25 January 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "На шахті на окупованому Донбасі стався вибух, є загиблі". ТСН (in Ukrainian). 21 January 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  • Hirnycyj encyklopedycnyj slovnyk. 3. Donec'k: Schidnyj Vydavnyčyj Dim. 2004. p. 752. ISBN 978-966-7804-78-7.