Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Although there are very big problems with extraction, the buildup of reserves inspires hope.
Gas could become an important backup resource to ensure the operation of Ukraine’s energy system in winter 2026/2027 of the year amid Russian attacks, according to Serhiy D’yachenko, head of the Bureau of Comprehensive Analysis and Forecasts.
In a comment for ZN.UA, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine assured that it has taken into account the experience of previous wartime winters and is now continuing to work on ensuring the necessary natural gas reserves, maintaining stable production, diversifying import sources, and strengthening the resilience of gas infrastructure facilities to possible strikes by the enemy.
They stated that they are currently actively working on restoring gas production, since gas generation is increasingly used to support the operation of the energy system in conditions of damage to electric generating capacities.
In turn, D’yachenko agrees that the dynamics of gas accumulation in Ukraine’s storage facilities are quite good. Especially in comparison with previous years when blue fuel barely sufficed for the heating season.
But with domestic production in Ukraine it is almost a catastrophe now — since the start of the year the Russians have attacked Naftogaz facilities almost 300 times, and have additionally struck gas production facilities of private companies. As a result, a significant portion of production has stopped.
Nevertheless, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said that underground gas storage facilities have already accumulated 14,3 billion cubic meters of gas, which is significantly more than at this time last year (approximately 11 billion cubic meters).
“And this is not bad. After all, gas is an important reserve fuel. In particular, in the country a significant part of heating is on gas. We also do not always have enough highly maneuverable reserves. Therefore the balance is usually closed thanks to thermal power plants that run on gas,” D’yachenko believes.
According to him, gas is a resource that Russian strikes are almost unable to “get at.”
About how prepared Ukraine is for the heating season 2026/2027, read in the article “What energy workers managed to do over the summer and what they definitely won’t manage before the cold weather.”
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