Ukraine’s steel production could drop by half if Russian troops capture a vital coal mine near the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Reuters reported on Oct. 16, citing Oleksandr Kalenkov, the head of Ukraine’s steelmakers’ association. Pokrovske coal mine, the largest coking coal producer in Ukraine and one of the largest in Eastern Europe, is located 10 km (6 miles) west of Pokrovsk. The mine produces coal for coke production needed in steelmaking, which is Ukraine’s second-largest source of currency after agriculture, Reuters reported. The eastern front near the town has been the scene of…