Ukraine needs up to $1 billion more to buy gas for winter - Russian strikes force energy plan revision - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine has accumulated over 80% of the necessary gas volume, which is about 11-12 billion cubic meters. To achieve the target indicators and ensure a stable heating season, it is necessary to purchase gas for $1 billion due to the risks of Russian attacks.
Ukraine has already accumulated more than 80% of the necessary gas volume in its storage facilities for the winter. However, to achieve the set goals and volumes, it is necessary to purchase approximately 1 billion dollars worth of natural gas. The main reason for this necessity is constant Russian attacks, which create risks for the heating season. This is stated in a Reuters article, writes UNN.
Details
According to Yuriy Boyko, a member of the supervisory board of "Ukrenergo", about 11 billion cubic meters of gas are currently stored in the facilities, which is more than 80% of the target of 13.2 billion.
ExPro analysts estimate the volume of accumulated gas to be even higher – approximately 12 billion cubic meters, or 90%. However, this is still not enough, and another 1 to 2 billion cubic meters will have to be covered by domestic production or imports.
If the gas infrastructure is damaged, we will have to look for expensive resources to compensate for the deficit
Serhiy Makogon, former head of the Ukrainian GTS, reminded that last year Ukraine entered winter with 12.8 billion cubic meters, but due to Russian strikes on gas and energy infrastructure, this was not enough.
This put the country on the verge of gas shutdown
Oleksandr Kharchenko, director of the Center for Energy Research, emphasized that the optimal level of reserves for a stable winter should be at least 14 billion cubic meters.
The Reuters article states that before the war with Russia, Ukraine produced up to 20 billion cubic meters of gas annually, but current figures are classified.
The main supplies come from Hungary, but volumes through Poland are also growing rapidly. By 2026, Warsaw plans to double the capacity of the gas pipeline with Ukraine to 4 billion cubic meters per year. The import of American LNG through Germany, Greece, Lithuania, and Poland is also being considered.
Andriy Kobolyev – former head of "Naftogaz" believes that it is more profitable to import gas than to store it, because Russia constantly attacks the territory of Ukraine, and can also attack gas storage facilities.
Ukraine has the largest gas storage facilities in Europe, with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters. Last year, up to 3 billion cubic meters of European gas were stored in them, but this year the volumes dropped to zero due to the threat of attacks.
Recall
Earlier, it was reported that as of September 14, 2025, natural gas reserves in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities had already exceeded last year's figures. Currently, 12.055 billion cubic meters of "blue fuel" are stored there, which should be enough for the heating season.
As of July, there were only 9 billion cubic meters of "blue fuel" in gas storage facilities. The country needs to have a gas reserve of at least 13 billion cubic meters by October 1, 2025.
At the same time, there will be no need to overpay for gas in the winter of 2025-2026. "Naftogaz" in April extended the fixed tariff: this means that until April 2026, a cubic meter of gas for the population will cost UAH 7.96.