Naftogaz CEO Yuriy Vitrenko says he hopes to restore Ukraine’s gas production, which fell by 2% in January-August due to the Russian invasion, due to military successes in the northeast. Most of Ukraine’s gas deposits are located in Poltava and Kharkiv oblasts. The latter has almost been liberated in Ukraine’s recent offensive.
The government has said Ukraine has accumulated 13 bcm of gas in storage as of early September compared with around 19 bcm in 2021. Ukraine faces one of its hardest winters ever with Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure, occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP, and risk of cessation of gas transit.