ZAPORIZHIA, March 20 – The head of Zaporizhia regional state administration, Oleksandr Starukh, has sent a telegram to Ukrainian Prime Ministr Yulia Tymoshenko informing her that (ZAlK), the country's only aluminum smelter, is to trim its aluminum production facilities by 75%.

"At present, the leadership of the mill informed the regional state administration on a decision to trim aluminum production facilities by 75% due to the fall in the price of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange and the high price of electricity for OJSC ZAlK, which has led to losses at the company," read a telegram posted on the Web site of the Zaporizhia regional state administration.