Severstal announced that as a result of the continued deterioration of economic conditions and a further decline in customer orders, it will be making the following operational changes at its North American facilities.

The steelmaking and hot rolling operations at Severstal Wheeling Inc will remain idled.

In addition, the cold rolling and coating operations at Wheeling will also be temporarily idled in the coming weeks while the Company balances production with orders across its business.

Severstal announced on February 27th 2009 the temporary cessation of operations of the steel galvanizing line at its Severstal Warren Inc. facility. Further to that announcement, all production and finishing operations at Warren will be idled indefinitely until there is an improvement in market conditions.