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Grace Izilien
In a major blow to the resource security strategic agreement between Ukraine and the United States, Russian forces have taken control of a 40 hectares lithium-rich area near the village of Shevchenko in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Le Figaro reports.
Lithium is a rare earth resource used in battery manufacturing for electric vehicles, electronics, glass-ceramics, aerospace alloys, and energy storage systems. In 2022, lithium prices peaked at over $80,000 per ton. As demand for technology and defence components rises globally, it has become a highly sought-after strategic resource.
The captured zone is home to one of Europe’s most promising lithium deposits — a resource often referred to as “white gold” due to its growing importance in energy and defense sectors.
According to Le Figaro, this move affords Russia to tighten its grip on Ukraine’s mineral wealth and also consolidate access to long-term economic and industrial assets, at a time when global powers are racing to secure access to battery-grade lithium. As of June 27, 2025, the price in China stands at $8,500 per ton — a sharp decline, but still economically and strategically relevant.
The Shevchenko deposit had previously drawn attention from foreign investors and Ukrainian state agencies as part of plans to reduce dependence on imported raw materials.
Analysts say the capture of lithium deposits may be part of a broader Russian strategy to control resource corridors and disrupt Ukraine’s ability to finance and rebuild its energy and industrial base. The seizure of such a site also raises concerns over future access to rare earths and critical minerals within the region.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and Environment had previously identified the area as a priority for domestic exploration and foreign partnership. That potential now lies in contested territory under Russian occupation.
On May 1, both the US and Ukraine governments finalized a joint framework to establish the Investment Fund for Reconstruction and Critical Mineral Partnership. The fund is a 50/50 initiative between Washington and Kyiv, intended to channel capital exclusively into Ukraine-based projects related to mining, oil, gas, infrastructure, and processing.
The newly formed fund underscores U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty over its critical raw materials, particularly in sectors vulnerable to disruption from military occupation or foreign exploitation. The lithium-rich Shevchenko site had been among the locations considered for future development under this framework.
By controlling this territory, Russia not only expands its physical footprint in the Donbas but also potentially undermines Ukraine’s ability to leverage key assets in its postwar recovery and strategic industrial planning.
According to reports by Business News Nigeria, Nigeria’s lithium reserves are estimated to be worth billions of dollars, with some estimates valuing them at over $34 billion.
Nigeria possesses significant lithium deposits, with identified deposits in states like Kwara, Ekiti, Ogun, Nasarawa, and Plateau.
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