Steelmaker ArcelorMittal to close more Ukraine units

KYIV, March 16 (Reuters) - Ukraine's major steelmaker ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih will close two rolling mills, it said on Monday, ?citing the energy crisis caused by Russian strikes ‌and the cost of European Union environmental requirements.

It did not give a timeframe for the closures that are in addition to ?closures announced last month by the ArcelorMittal  subsidiary. It said then it would halt its ?Casting and Mechanical Plant, one of the country's largest ?enterprises, and its Blooming shop, also in Ukraine.

Russian strikes ?have targeted both power plants and substations, forcing Kyiv to cut power supplies to businesses and increase imports from the EU.

ArcelorMittal ?also cited the EU decision to introduce the Carbon ?Border Adjustment Mechanism from January without any exceptions or any transition ‌period ?for Ukrainian producers.

The CBAM is the EU's tool to put a fair price on carbon emitted during the production of carbon-intensive goods entering the bloc.

"As a reaction ?to adverse ?economic conditions in ?wartime Ukraine, including soaring electricity costs and CBAM, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih was forced ?to take a number of crisis measures ?aimed at ?achieving financial viability and increasing operational efficiency of the company," it said in a statement.