PrJSC Avdiyivka Coke and Chemical Plant, part of Metinvest Group and has been in cold conservation mode since May of this year, can be restored after 8-10 months of intensive repairs, Yuriy Ktsynenko, the general director of the enterprise, believes.

According to him, when peace returns to Avdiyivka and the security situation allows people to return home, they plan to launch the plant. There is a plan for the restoration of capacities: in order to start work, it will take 8-10 months of intensive repairs.

"At first, we will not work in such volumes as before February 24, but, nevertheless, we will launch at least half of the enterprise. And then there will be repairs and restoration. Avdiyivka Coke and Chemical Plant was the flagship of coke production in Ukraine, producing top-class coke. I am sure that we will definitely bring it back to life together with the team and with the support of Metinvest," the head of the plant said on the Donbas24 telegram channel.

At the same time, he recalled that production was stopped in April 2022, the batteries were transferred to cold conservation mode. The equipment was already stopped in 2015, but the batteries were cooled for the first time.

"Then we used hot conservation mode – natural gas was supplied, and the batteries were heated, coke could be dispensed at any moment. Now there is neither natural gas nor coke oven gas. The batteries have completely cooled down," Ktsynenko states.

Before the war, 4,000 people worked at the enterprise, about 1,500 contractors performed work. Now most of the specialists are idle.

"Up to 200 people are still working: we are evacuating inventory from Avdiyivka, transporting equipment that can be used at other enterprises of the company, preserved raw materials. We are getting ready for winter – many buildings are destroyed, and they need to be closed, protected from moisture. For people who will stay there in the winter, we equip heating points. Another part of the employees works remotely, and most of them have been laid off. For those who expressed a desire, we offered vacancies at other enterprises of Metinvest Group – in Kamianske, Zaporizhia, Kryvy Rih, and Pokrovsk. Approximately 500-550 people are employed," the acting CEO noted.

The head of the plant also said that blue-collar workers are invited to other enterprises in Donbas, they work in the rear and nothing threatens stable work.

Avdiyivka Coke and Chemical Plant is the largest coking plant in Europe, the main producer of coke in Ukraine.