In January-August 2025, Ukraine increased imports of copper and copper products by 32.2% year-on-year – to $122.747 million.
Exports during this period increased by 5.7% to $61.542 million.
In August, imports amounted to $12.759 million, while exports amounted to $6.105 million.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, in the manufacture of pipes, in the creation of alloys, in medicine, and in other industries.
In 2023-2024 the affiliated assets of the direction “Repair and production” of JSC ‘Ukrzaliznytsia’ for the first time in a decade have reached profit – on 117 million UAH annually, said in an interview with the agency “Interfax-Ukraine” head of the direction Evgeny Shramko.
Profitability was ensured due to energy saving, cost reduction and establishment of synergy between enterprises.
In January-July of this year, Ukrainian enterprises increased their consumption of rolled metal by 22.6% compared to the same period last year – to 2 million 813.5 thousand tons.
According to a press release from the Ukrmetallurgprom association, 1 million 42.5 thousand tons, or 37% of the domestic market for rolled metal consumption, were imported during this period.
According to Ukrmetallurgprom, in the first eight months of 2025, metal companies produced 4.256 million tons of rolled metal (98.6% compared to the same period in 2024), of which, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, about 2.481 million tons, or 58.3%, were exported. In January-August 2024, the share of exports was 66.1% (2.853 million tons out of a total rolled metal production of 4.318 million tons).
The share of semi-finished products in export deliveries in January-August 2025 is 32.37%, which is significantly lower than in January-August 2024 (46.83%). The share of flat products in export deliveries in January-August 2025 significantly exceeds the figure for January-August 2024 (44.38% and 39.19%, respectively). The share of long products is also significantly higher than in January-August 2024 (23.26% in 2025 vs. 13.99% in 2024).
The structure of imports in January-August 2025, as before, is characterized by a significant dominance of flat rolled products over long products (70.24% and 20.96%, respectively); in January-August 2024, the dominance of flat rolled products over long products was also significant (79.73% and 18.80%, respectively).
“In the first eight months of 2025, the domestic market capacity was 2 million 813.5 thousand tons of rolled metal, of which 1 million 42.5 thousand tons, or 37.00%, were imports. In January-August 2024, the domestic market capacity was 2 million 298.2 thousand tons, of which 833.2 thousand tons, or 36.25%, were imported. Thus, in January-August 2025, there was an increase in the capacity of the domestic market relative to January-August 2024 by 22.60%, with a simultaneous increase in the share of imports by 0.75%,” the press release states.
According to the State Customs Service, the main export markets for Ukrainian rolled metal products in the first eight months of 2025 were the European Union (81.4%), other European countries (8.5%), and the CIS (6.6%).
Among metallurgical importers in January-August 2025, other European countries ranked first (52.7%), followed by the EU-27 (23.5%) and Asian countries (18.2%).
As reported, Ukraine’s rolled metal market in 2024 shrank by 6.26% compared to the previous year, to 3 million 288.4 thousand tons, while in 2023 it increased 2.19 times compared to 2022, to 3 million 505.6 thousand tons.
In January-August of this year, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 0.8% compared to the same period last year, to $2 billion 84.035 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), ferrous metals accounted for 7.89% of total export revenues during this period, compared to 7.49% in January-August 2024.
In August, export revenues amounted to $267.907 million, compared to $277.615 million in the previous month.
At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 10.3% in January-August 2025, to $1 billion 116.534 million. In August, products worth $161.463 million were imported.
In addition, in January-August 2025, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 3.4% to $621.161 million. In August, $52.311 million worth of these products were exported.
Imports of metal products during this period increased by 11.8% to $779.348 million. In August, $121.141 million worth of these products were imported.
As reported, in 2024, Ukrainian metal companies increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 16.9% compared to the previous year, to $3 billion 96.343 million. At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 13.1% over the past year, to $1 billion 478.814 million.
In 2023, Ukraine reduced its revenues from ferrous metal exports by 41.6% compared to 2022, to $2 billion 647.72 million, with ferrous metals accounting for 7.3% of total revenues from goods exports during this period, while in 2022, the share was 10.3%. At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 37% in 2023, to $1 billion 307.05 million.
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 16.6% compared to 2022, to $877.92 million. At the same time, imports of metal products increased by 40.3%, to $902.57 million.
According to the forecast of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”, the losses of the car repair direction of the company may reach 600 million UAH by the end of 2025, said in an exclusive interview to the agency “Interfax-Ukraine” member of the Board, head of the direction “Repair and production” Evgeny Shramko.
The decrease is due to the fall in transportation and, as a consequence, the volume of repairs: transportation by UZ cars fell by 58%, and repairs decreased by 55%.
Approximately 5.7 million people from Ukraine remain displaced worldwide, 3.8 million are internally displaced, and 4.1 million have returned from displacement either within Ukraine or from abroad, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
“Displacement remains a defining feature of the crisis,” said an IOM spokesperson in a statement on the recent attacks in Ukraine, published on the organization’s website on Tuesday.
IOM also expresses deep concern about the continuing rise in civilian casualties across Ukraine and stresses the urgent need for measures that prioritize the protection of civilians and provide necessary humanitarian assistance.
“The civilian population of Ukraine continues to bear the heavy burden of war as Russian strikes hit towns and villages on the front line and beyond. In July 2025 alone, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 286 deaths and 1,388 injuries, the highest monthly figure since May 2022,” the statement said.
The IOM also stresses the urgent need for measures that prioritize the protection of civilians and provide necessary humanitarian assistance.
IOM, UKRAINIANS, WAR
