Summary Some coal mines operate despite Russian invasionMine operators face many challenges and risksSome miners have gone to fight, energy sector targetedEAST UKRAINE, June 9 (Reuters) - Russia's invasion has thrown up huge challenges for Ukraine's coal mines, from the danger posed by air strikes to the departure of miners for the front to fight. But pits are still producing coal in parts of eastern Ukraine that are not occupied by Russia, an act of defiance that the miners see as vital to the war effort. "But nevertheless ... we plan to increase coal production at our enterprise, even in relation to the past (before the war)." Other problems caused by the war included difficulties with supplies of equipment, missile strikes and the damage caused by Russian attacks. "Despite the shelling, we continued to work, because we understand that the enterprise will not work without (our) work.

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Persons: Viktor Kuznetsov, Kuznetsov, Andrii, Yurkov, Vitalii Hnidyi, Timothy Heritage, Christina Fincher Organizations: Russian, EAST UKRAINE, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Donetsk, Maryinka