Russia carried out overnight drone strikes on Ukrainian gas infrastructure operated by Naftogaz in Poltava and Sumy oblasts, the company’s CEO Serhii Koretskyi said on 20 March.
The attack comes after Ukraine’s energy crisis reached its most severe point during the past winter, when sustained Russian strikes caused widespread damage to power generation and gas infrastructure, forcing emergency shutdowns and straining supply across multiple regions.
Fire extinguished, facilities halted, no casualties
According to Koretskyi, Russian forces struck multiple Naftogaz assets with drones during the night, causing damage to infrastructure. Emergency crews and company specialists were able to quickly extinguish a fire at one of the targeted sites.
He said operations at the affected facilities have been halted while damage assessments are ongoing. At the time of the attack, personnel were in shelters, and no injuries were reported.
Thirty attacks since January – all deliberate, Naftogaz says
Koretskyi added that Russia has carried out more than 30 targeted attacks on Naftogaz Group infrastructure since the start of the year, describing the strikes as deliberate attempts to damage Ukraine’s energy system.
Russia’s campaign has consistently targeted gas production, storage, and distribution facilities alongside the electricity grid, aiming to disrupt supplies and weaken Ukraine’s energy resilience.
Ukraine stockpiles parts with Europe to limit damage next winter
Ukrainian authorities are now preparing for the possibility that similar large-scale attacks will resume later this year, as efforts continue to reinforce critical infrastructure and avoid a repeat of the worst impacts seen over the winter months.
This includes coordination with European partners to build up reserves of critical equipment, spare parts, and repair materials that can be rapidly deployed after strikes.
Ukrainian officials have stressed that such reserves are essential to speed up recovery times and maintain energy supply, particularly as Russia continues targeting both power and gas infrastructure.
