Zasyadko Mine ( uk, Шахта ім. Засядька, russian: Шахта им. А. Ф. Засядько) is a

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

company in

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

's eastern city of

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: Names of European cities in different languages (C–D), cities' alternat ...

. Following the start of the

War in Donbass War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...

in 2014 the mine became situated in rebel controlled territory.Ukraine conflict: Evacuation planned in frontline town of Avdiivka
''

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...

'' 31 January 2017 The manager and alleged owner of the company is

Yukhym Zvyahilsky Yukhym Leonidovych Zvyahilsky ( uk, Юхим Леонідович Звягільський, russian: Ефим Леонидович Звягильский; 20 February 1933 – 6 November 2021) was a Ukrainian politician. He is the only member ...

, influential businessman and politician within the

Party of Regions The Party of Regions ( uk, Партія регіонів, Partiia rehioniv, ; russian: Партия регионов, Partiya regionov) was a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine formed in late 1997 that then grew to be the biggest party of Uk ...

. Along with its economic, technological and political importance, the company, namely its coal mine, is infamous for being the site of repeated

mining accident A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals or metals. Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially from underground coal mining, although accidents also occur in hard rock mining. C ...

s with numerous fatalities. The deadliest disaster, the worst in Ukraine’s history, happened on November 18, 2007, killing 101

miner A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, chalk, clay, or other minerals from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face; cutting, blasting, ...

s."Four dead in Ukraine mine blast"

, December 2, 2007

History

Production at the mine began in 1958,Гірничий енциклопедичний словник, т. 3. / За ред. В. С. Білецького. — Донецьк: Східний видавничий дім, 2004. — 752 с. (Mining dictionary, Ukrainian language) Since foundation, the mine is named after Alexander Zasyadko, one of the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

Ministers of Coal Industry. In 1992, Zasyadko Mine was turned into a "rented enterprise" (practically privatised by the employees) together with several auxiliary industries.

, the then-manager of the mine and influential local businessman, retained his post and gained informal control of the new company's assets.Бизнес-досье Шахта им. Засядько, ОП
Бизнес-досье Звягильский Ефим Леонидович
Mr. Zvyahilsky has been the acting

Prime Minister of Ukraine The prime minister of Ukraine ( uk, Прем'єр-міністр України, ) is the head of government of Ukraine. The prime minister presides over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of th ...

for a short time in early 1990s and a member of the

Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

(parliament) of all convocations. He is known as an influential member of the

Mining dangers

The Zasyadko Mine is one of the most dangerous

coal mine Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

s in the world due to naturally high levels of gas (particularly

methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane on Eart ...

) and

coal dust Coal dust is a fine powdered form of which is created by the crushing, grinding, or pulverizing of coal. Because of the brittle nature of coal, coal dust can be created during mining, transportation, or by mechanically handling coal. It is a form o ...

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known ...

hazards.Шахта им. А.Ф.Засядько в Донецке. Справка
RIA Novosti, November 19, 2007 Additionally, gradual exhaustion made the mine as large as having 6 shafts and, most importantly, very deep. As of 2004, depths of excavation varied from 529m to 1270m. However, an independent mining expert recently claimed that the company is interfering with its hazard-

measuring Measurement is the quantification of attributes of an object or event, which can be used to compare with other objects or events. In other words, measurement is a process of determining how large or small a physical quantity is as compared t ...

equipment on a regular basis, in order to present underground situation as being within the

safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory. In ...

, and so to prevent closure by the government inspectors. President Yushchenko blamed the cabinet for failing to “implement safe-mining practices” in the coal industry.

Accidents

The Zasyadko Mine has had seven serious mining accidents: *May 24, 1999 – 50 workers killed, 40 injured. *August 19, 2001 – 55 workers killed, 34 injured. *July 31, 2002 – 20 workers killed, two injured. *September 20, 2006 – 13 workers killed, 61 injured. *November 18, 2007 – 101 workers killed, dozens injured (

2007 Zasyadko mine disaster The 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster was a mining accident that happened on November 18, 2007 at the Zasyadko coal mine ( uk, Шахта ім. Засядько) in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. By November 30, 101 miners were reported ...

). *December 1, 2007 – 52 workers injured. *December 2, 2007 – five workers killed, 30 injured. *March 4, 2015 - seventeen workers killed, 15 missing. (

2015 Zasyadko mine disaster On 4 March 2015, at around 05:20 local time, there was a mining accident at the Zasyadko coal mine in rebel-held Eastern Ukraine. It is suspected to have been caused by a gas explosion. Twenty-three people were confirmed dead. Local rebels cla ...

). *June 18, 2022 - 77 miners trapped due to shelling. All later rescued with no injuries.

References

{{Authority control Coal mines in Ukraine Coal companies of Ukraine Mining companies of the Soviet Union Coal mines in the Soviet Union Coal mining disasters in Ukraine Companies based in Donetsk

History

Mining dangers

Accidents

See also

References