Demand is growing due to generators: will Ukraine have enough fuel in winter?
16 January 16:42
ANALYSIS FROM 
Against the backdrop of widespread problems with electricity supply, Ukrainians are increasingly switching to autonomous energy sources. Generators are operating in hospitals, businesses, apartment buildings, and private homes, which inevitably leads to an increase in gasoline and diesel fuel consumption. At the same time, there are fears in society that the fuel crisis could repeat itself, especially in the context of war and constant attacks on energy infrastructure.
According to Sergey Kuyun, director of the A-95 Consulting Group, in an exclusive comment "Komersant Ukrainian", demand for fuel has indeed grown significantly.
Demand for fuel has increased, but supplies are sufficient
“Demand for fuel has increased, growing by 25-40% across various networks, but there is enough fuel, operators have large reserves, so there are no fears of a shortage or scarcity,” the expert emphasizes.
A significant part of this growth is due to the operation of generators. Due to emergency and planned power outages, fuel has become not only a resource for transport, but also a critically important element of energy security. Despite this, the situation at gas stations remains stable.
The expert draws particular attention to the government’s statement on reserves. First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine has fuel reserves for more than 20 days. At the same time, according to Kuyun, this information is often misinterpreted.
“Today, there are still 20 days’ worth of supplies in addition to current supplies. In other words, the market is functioning normally, supplying and still having reserves for 20 days. No, it’s not that everything will stop in 20 days,” he explains.
Fuel imports reach record levels
Moreover, import volumes have reached record levels. In December 2025, according to Kuyun, more than 800,000 tons of fuel were imported into Ukraine, with an average consumption of 550,000-600,000 tons per month. This created a significant safety margin that the market did not have before. For comparison, in peacetime, companies usually kept reserves for 7-10 days.
The government also assures that the fuel situation is under complete control: imports continue, and no restrictions for consumers are planned.
“We are keeping the fuel situation under control. This applies to both gasoline and diesel. We have reserves for more than 20 days, and imports continue,” Shmyhal said.
Incidentally, despite Russia’s attacks on gas and energy infrastructure, the energy system remains controllable, although it is operating with restrictions.
