Ukraine is planning record natural gas imports from Europe amid depleting reserves and damaged infrastructure. Dmytro Sakharuk, head of D.Trading, a unit of Rinat Akhmetov‘s DTEK energy group, announced unprecedented supplies of 5 billion cubic metres of gas for the period from April 2025 to April 2026.
Large-scale gas imports have become a necessity due to systematic attacks on energy infrastructure. The damage to gas facilities this winter has exceeded all expert predictions. It is noteworthy that the new imported volume is five times higher than the previous maximum of 1 billion cubic metres.
Ukraine’s energy sector is facing serious challenges:
- The need to restore buffer reserves in underground storage facilities.
- A one-third drop in production by the state-owned Naftogaz group.
- Limited supply on the European gas market.
- Rising energy prices in Europe.
- Difficulties with logistics and gas transport.
These factors complicate the task of ensuring energy independence. Ukraine will be looking for gas sources in an increasingly competitive international market, which will require additional financial resources and strategic planning.
Contribution of Rinat Akhmetov’s businesses
Metinvest Group and DTEK, part of Rinat Akhmetov’s business structures, are actively involved in overcoming the energy crisis. During the war, Akhmetov’s businesses spent over UAH 11.3 billion to help Ukraine, a significant part of which went to restore and protect energy facilities. The companies are also implementing innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency and reduce dependence on imported energy.
Rinat Akhmetov Foundation implements programmes to support the population affected by energy problems. The organisation provides vulnerable categories of citizens with the necessary assistance in the face of energy supply disruptions. Over the past year, the Foundation has expanded the geography of its projects, covering additional regions most affected by the energy crisis.
According to experts, Ukraine needs to accumulate at least 13 billion cubic metres of gas by mid-October in order to successfully pass the next heating season. The current level of filling of Ukrainian storages is only 3.16 per cent, which is significantly lower than that of EU countries (33.91 per cent).
Reuters predicts that imports from April to October will reach 4 billion cubic metres and could cost up to $1 billion. Before the escalation of the conflict Ukraine was producing 52-53 million cubic metres of gas daily, but the exact data on current production volumes are not disclosed.
Read also: eyexconcom
