This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Russia has seized control of some of Ukraine’s prized lithium reserves since it launched its all-out invasion in 2022, potentially depriving Kyiv of a key economic resource.
Russian forces captured a lithium deposit in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhya in early 2022. Since then, Moscow has also overrun territory in the neighboring Donetsk region that is believed to contain lithium.
Now, Russian troops are inching toward Shevchenko, a rural settlement in Donetsk that sits near one of Ukraine’s biggest lithium deposits.
Experts say Russia’s seizure of Ukraine’s lithium deposits could impact the rest of Europe and the Continent’s efforts to shift to green energy.
Described as “white gold,” lithium is a critical material for batteries used in devices ranging from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles.
Ukraine has an estimated 500,000 tons of untapped lithium, one of the largest reserves in Europe, according to geological surveys.
Rod Schoonover, a national security expert and founder of the U.S.-based Ecological Futures Group, said it is unlikely that seizing Ukraine’s lithium deposits was a major war objective for Moscow. Russia itself has significant reserves.
Still, Ukraine’s mineral wealth is one reason the country is important to Russia, experts say.
The Ukrainian Shield, an ancient and massive rocky plate spanning much of central and southern Ukraine, contains valuable minerals like iron and lithium as well as rare earth metals.
‘Importance Will Only Grow’
The European Union has looked to secure local supplies of critical raw materials like lithium and lessen its dependence on foreign suppliers, including China.
Lithium is key to Europe’s efforts to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and transition to green energy.
With its substantial reserves and proximity, Ukraine stands out as a promising partner, Schoonover said.
“The Russian invasion has disrupted any progress toward leveraging Ukraine’s reserves, but if stability is restored, these resources could become, in time, a cornerstone of Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical minerals,” he said.
