Ukraine to increase gas imports 30% after Russian strikes on energy sector
Ukraine plans to increase natural gas imports by 30% after recent Russian strikes caused major damage to its energy infrastructure, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said Oct. 7.
Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy sector in recent weeks, including a large-scale assault on Oct. 3 that targeted the country's oil and gas facilities. Hrynchuk said Russia launched more than 26 attacks on Ukrainian energy sites today alone.
The strikes have raised concerns about potential shortages and the need for additional imports.
"We plan to increase imports by around 30% if we manage to expand our import capacity," Hrynchuk told reporters following a meeting with Western ambassadors.
"We plan to import throughout the coldest months, although the priority now is to secure imports for October-December and, if necessary, for other months," she said.
The volume of gas imports will depend on several factors, Hrynchuk added, including the intensity of Russian attacks, the extent of damage to the gas transport network, and how quickly Ukrainian gas production can be restored.
"The faster we can restore production, the less we will need to import," she said, noting that increasing liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports is one possible way to avoid shortages.
"We are preparing for various scenarios, including the worst-case ones," she added.
Earlier today, President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced that the government has allocated $36 million to bolster the energy grid of frontline regions. The funds will go toward protecting critical energy facilities and creating a reserve of equipment to rapidly restore power in affected areas.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the Kremlin has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter, aiming to disrupt civilian life. Last year, Russian strikes left entire cities without heat as temperatures plunged below freezing.
Kateryna Hodunova
