The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine has launched inspections of gas stations due to a significant increase in fuel prices in early March 2026. The Committee is analyzing the provided information to identify possible violations of economic competition protection legislation.
The Cabinet of Ministers has established a Coordination Center for the implementation of Ukraine's Regional Resilience Plans. It will be headed by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, and its members include representatives of ministries, the Verkhovna Rada, and the Office of the President.
Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to consider the possibility of immediately stopping gas supplies to Europe. This is due to the EU's plans to limit the import of Russian gas.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft law on the corporatization of SE "SkhidGZK", which will be transformed into a joint-stock company with 100% state ownership. This strategic enterprise provides up to 40% of the uranium needs for Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
In Ukraine, on March 5, from 8:00 AM, power limitation and hourly outage schedules will be in effect. The reason is the consequences of Russian attacks on the energy system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine's readiness to help stabilize the situation in the Middle East. He instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other agencies to develop options for support without compromising Ukraine's defense.
Qatar has declared force majeure on gas exports due to the US-Israeli war against Iran. Restoring normal production volumes could take at least a month, leading to shortages in global markets.
A complete power outage has occurred in all provinces of Iraq. The causes of the large-scale failure have not been officially named.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will release two Hungarian citizens, mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from captivity. Transcarpathian Hungarians will leave Russia with Szijjártó.
Almost 800 cases of flooding have been recorded in Ukraine due to spring floods, with active work ongoing in Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Cherkasy regions. The SES calls for cooperation with local authorities to minimize the consequences.
Autogas in Ukraine has risen by approximately 2% (about UAH 0. 75/liter) on average in a few days, with uneven growth across networks (from +UAH 0.5 to +UAH 2/liter, and at Market gas stations up to +11.3% or +UAH 4). Further dynamics will depend on world prices, logistics, the hryvnia exchange rate, and the speed of wholesale transfer to retail.
Ukraine is preparing a decision on a strategic fuel reserve. The law provides for the creation of minimum stocks of oil and petroleum products, which will be stored in Ukraine and the EU.
Russia is ready to reroute about 9. 5 million barrels of oil already near Indian waters to India to compensate for supply disruptions from the Middle East. India is looking for alternative sources of supply, as its crude oil reserves cover only 25 days of needs.
German intelligence has accused Moscow of concealing the true cost of the war, stating that Russia's budget deficit in 2025 exceeded the officially declared amount by more than 2. 36 trillion rubles. Western sanctions and falling oil prices are impacting the Russian economy.
Qatar's state energy company, QatarEnergy, has declared force majeure on liquefied natural gas supplies. This happened after Iranian attacks on the company's facilities in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed.
Officials from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff organized a scheme to embezzle fuel for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Mykolaiv Oblast, causing losses of over UAH 22 million. In Zhytomyr Oblast, the head of the district's quartering and operational unit is suspected of causing UAH 8.3 million in losses through overpayment of VAT for fuel oil.
On the night of March 2, the SBU and the Defense Forces hit the Valentin Pikul minesweeper and also damaged the anti-submarine ships Yeysk and Kasimov. As a result of the attack, three Russian sailors were killed and 14 were wounded.
Law enforcement officers uncovered a scheme to embezzle Ukrenergo funds during the restoration of energy infrastructure in the Lviv region. The scheme involved the head of a Ukrenergo unit and the former head of a contracting company, who inflated the cost of the work.
The Moldovan government has introduced a heightened alert regime in the energy sector for 60 days. The decision was made on March 4 due to events in the Middle East.
The Slovak government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, decided to terminate the contract for emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický was instructed to take this step by March 5.
Russia confirmed the damage to its LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz in the Mediterranean Sea, blaming Ukraine. The crew of the sanctioned vessel was not injured.
In 2025, over 12,000 companies relocated within Ukraine, making 12,920 moves. This is 11% more than in 2024, but less than before the full-scale invasion.
As a result of new Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, consumers in Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kherson regions have been left without power. Emergency power outages have returned in some regions.
Over four years of full-scale Russian aggression, Ukraine's energy sector has suffered losses of $24. 8 billion. 27 GW of generation has been lost, of which 15.5 GW due to the occupation of energy facilities, including the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
The conflict in the Middle East is spreading, with strikes and attacks continuing. Israel has launched strikes against Iran, while Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait have also been attacked.
Donald Trump has instructed the U. S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide insurance and guarantees for maritime transport through the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy will escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary.
A Russian LNG tanker caught fire off the coast of Libya, possibly as a result of an attack by Ukrainian naval drones. The sanctioned vessel had deactivated its identification system.
The President of Ukraine stated that the occupiers are preparing to strike critical infrastructure in the spring.
On March 4, from 8:00 AM, hourly power outage schedules will be introduced in some regions of Ukraine. The reason is the consequences of Russian attacks on the energy system.
Ursula von der Leyen and Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed a loan for Ukraine, the 20th sanctions package, and the impact of events in the Middle East on energy prices. Energy security and the availability of defense materials were also discussed.
