KIEV, July 9 – Mariupol Illich Steel Mill (Donetsk region), one of the largest steel companies in Ukraine, was in a difficult financial situation by the moment of making a decision to merge with Metinvest Group and it was not able to pay for raw materials supplied, which could have led to the mill's stoppage.

Illich Steel Mill BChairman and Director General Volodymyr Boyko said in an interview with Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (Mirror Weekly) newspaper, before the merger with Metinvest the mill was on the verge of stoppage, which made the mill to accelerate the merger.