In Ukraine, coal production increased in April with a general drop since the beginning of the year

Coal production in Ukraine during April increased by 5.8% on an annualized basis to 2.865 million tons, according to the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry.

In the first four months of the year, Ukraine produced 11.236 million tons of coal, which is 14% lower than last year.

Thermal coal production in January-April fell by 15.6% to 9.077 million tons, and coking coal output - by 6.7% to 2.159 million tons.

In four months, coal production in government-controlled areas of the Donetsk region decreased by 12.1% to 3.941 million tons, and in the Luhansk region - by 86.1% to 199.6 thousand tons.

Coal production in the Dnipropetrovsk region decreased by 1.6% to 6.508 million tons, while coal production in the Lviv region increased by 11.1% to 547.9 thousand tons, and production in the Volyn region increased by 2.3% to 40.3 thousand tons.

Ukraine has been a major producer of anthracite coal with a higher calorific value than other types of coal, but all anthracite mines have been located in the uncontrolled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk since June 2014.

The country began a shortage of anthracite after it closed trade with the mainland in February 2017. Ukraine was forced to start importing anthracite to replenish stocks.

In January-April, Ukraine increased its coal imports by 53.9% on an annualized basis to 7.43 million tons, which compensates for the decline in domestic production.