Zasyadko coal mine

Zasyadko coal mine

Eastern shaft of the Zasyadko Mine photographed in 2007. Local cemetery seen on the foreground.
Location
Oblast	Donetsk
Country	Ukraine
Production
Products	Coal
History
Opened	December 31, 1958 (as Hilka-Hlyboka)
Owner
Company	Public Stock Society Zasyadko Mine
Website	zasyadko.net
Year of acquisition	1992

Zasyadko Mine (Ukrainian: Шахта ім. Засядька) is a coal mining company in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk. Following the start of the War in Donbass in 2014 the mine became situated in rebel controlled territory.

The manager and alleged owner of the company is Yukhym Zvyahilsky, influential businessman and politician within the Party of Regions. Along with its economic, technological and political importance, the company, namely its coal mine, is infamous for being the site of repeated mining accidents with numerous fatalities. The deadliest disaster, the worst in Ukraine’s history, happened on November 18, 2007, killing 101 miners.

Production at the mine began in 1958, Since foundation, the mine is named after Alexander Zasyadko, one of the Soviet Ministers of Coal Industry.

In 1992, Zasyadko Mine was turned into a "rented enterprise" (practically privatised by the employees) together with several auxiliary industries.Yukhym Zvyahilsky, the then-manager of the mine and influential local businessman, retained his post and gained informal control of the new company's assets. Mr. Zvyahilsky has been the acting Prime Minister of Ukraine for a short time in early 1990s and a member of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of all convocations. He is known as an influential member of the Party of Regions.

The Zasyadko Mine is one of the most dangerous coal mines in the world due to naturally high levels of gas (particularly methane) and coal dust explosion hazards. Additionally, gradual exhaustion made the mine as large as having 6 shafts and, most importantly, very deep. As of 2004, depths of excavation varied from 529m to 1270m.