Gas for Ukraine: production recovers after enemy attacks, import contracts are signed
10 April 2025 14:07
More than half of the production volumes lost in February due to Russian attacks have already been restored. This was reported by the head of Naftogaz Roman Chumak, informs "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to the official, this heating season has become the most difficult since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
What losses were suffered by gas production facilities
In the first three months of this year, the enemy made more than 8 missile and drone attacks on Naftogaz facilities.
“This is more than 100 hits,” – noted Roman Chumak.
As Reuters wrote in February, Ukraine’s main gas production facilities are vulnerable to Russian attacks because they are located in the frontline Kharkiv region and the neighboring Poltava region.
According to the agency, Ukraine was producing about 52 million cubic meters of gas per day before the latest attacks, but the strikes on gas infrastructure have reduced that figure by 40 percent.
Naftogaz was forced to import gas promptly
Back in late January, it was reported that Naftogaz had started importing gas.
Summarizing this work, the head of Naftogaz Roman Chumak said the day before that in the crisis situation the company ensured urgent gas imports and balanced the system.
“Not a single Ukrainian felt a shortage of gas or a shortage of heat,” the official emphasized.
Ukraine is already preparing for the next winter
naftogaz plans to import 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas to ensure the stable passage of the heating season 2025-2026. This was announced by Naftohaz commercial director Dmytro Abramovych at a meeting of the relevant parliamentary committee at the end of March. There was also a figure of UAH 90 billion or about €2 billion, which will be needed to purchase these 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is already helping Naftogaz with funds, which approved a loan for the company for up to €270 million. Also, about €140 million of grants from Norway will be used to purchase gas and increase its reserves in underground storage facilities.
In addition, it was reported that Naftogaz is negotiating to attract €500 million from the European Investment Bank and $100 million from state banks through refinancing of the National Bank of Ukraine.
Actually, Naftohaz has already started organizing gas supplies. In mid-March, it became known that Naftohaz Ukrainy signed a contract with the Polish company ORLEN for the supply of about 100 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas, which will be delivered to Ukraine in April. This is the second fuel supply contract signed under the Memorandum of Understanding between Naftohaz Ukrayiny and ORLEN. The first one also provided for the supply of 100 million cubic meters of LNG.
How much gas should be pumped into Ukrainian storages
If we count on a warm winter, Ukraine needs to pump 16bn cu.m. of gas for the next season. This is the opinion of energy expert Yuri Korolchuk, whose opinion was cited by the
According to him, “there are about 5bn cu.m. of gas left in storage, and about 5bn cu.m. more can be pumped in thanks to its own production.
In other words, the expert summarized, we need to buy and deliver at least 5 billion cubic meters somewhere and for something.
