The company "Naftogaz of Ukraine", in order to get through the next heating season, expects to import 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas, the Ukrainian version of Forbes reported.
At the end of March, gas reserves in Ukraine's underground gas storage facilities were at a record low - below 6 billion cubic meters. m. According to the publication, based on current prices, the purchase of 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas will cost 90 billion hryvnias (about 2.18 billion USD). According to Forbes, "Naftogaz" will have to raise 600 million USD.
Verkhovna Rada deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak said that Kiev “will have to urgently look for several billion euros for gas“ and they will again demand this money from partners.
The problem with the gas shortage in Ukraine arose after the transit of Russian gas to Europe through the country's gas transportation system was completely stopped on January 1 due to Kiev's refusal to extend the agreement with Gazprom. The suspension of transit increased the need for industrial gas to maintain pressure in the pipeline.
As of February 5, Ukraine's gas storage facilities were 10% full, which was a record in recent years. Since the end of January, "Naftogaz" has begun importing gas at high market prices from EU countries, constantly increasing the volume of purchases. In early February, the country's Energy Minister German Galushchenko said that Ukraine must import at least 1 billion cubic meters of gas by the end of this year to get through this winter and prepare for the next one. Due to a gas shortage, the heating season in the country ended early at the end of March.
"Naftogaz" has already asked the IMF to allocate money for gas imports, which was met with surprise by fund representatives. In late March, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) had allocated 270 million euros to Naftogaz to purchase gas.