Ukraine exports scrap metal to the Russian enclave of Transnistria
In August 2025, Ukraine increased shipments of scrap metal by a record 22% y/y, and in 8 months, exports reached 283,000 tons.
At the same time, in July, after a one-year break, scrap from Ukraine began to be sent again to Transnistria, a Russian enclave in Moldova.
Poland became the key export destination (more than 236,000 tons). It has become a de facto transit hub, from where the scrap goes to Turkey, bypassing the €180/ton duty.
Due to such “gray” schemes, the budget of Ukraine has already lost about UAH 3 billion.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that Ukrainian metallurgists are experiencing a shortage of at least 300,000 tons of scrap, while the European Commission is preparing restrictions on its export, considering this raw material to be strategic for “green” metallurgy.
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