KIEV, Sept. 8 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Ba3 corporate family rating to Ukrainian steel and mining company Metinvest B.V.

At the same time Moody's withdrew the corporate family rating for Azovstal Iron and Steel Works and assigned an LGD rate for the outstanding bond of Azovstal Capital B.V. of LGD4, 66%.

According to Moody's, Metinvest’s Ba3 rating of reflects its strong market position in the Ukrainian steel as well as iron ore markets; its vertical integration, which isolates the company from fluctuations in prices for raw material such as coking coal and iron ore; the company's low-cost production facilities; and the geographical advantage of having its plants and mines close to the shores of the Black Sea.