Ukraine offers EU 10 bcm gas storage capacity
Shafaq News- Kyiv
Ukraine has proposed that the European Union store around 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in its underground facilities ahead of winter, citing its large storage capacity and low costs, Reuters reported on Friday.
Serhiy Fedorenko, acting chief executive of state-owned Naftogaz, said Ukraine's underground storage facilities have a combined capacity of around 30 bcm, making them the largest in Europe. Under the proposal, one-third of that capacity would be allocated to European gas.
Located more than one kilometer below ground, the facilities offer protection against attacks and allow stored gas to be supplied quickly when needed, particularly in Eastern European countries, Fedorenko explained.
Ukraine currently has the lowest gas storage fees in the European Union, he added. Russia has carried out more than 400 attacks on Naftogaz assets since the beginning of 2026, twice the number recorded in 2025, according to Fedorenko.
Kyiv’s underground gas stocks have reached 16 bcm, their highest level since 2020, compared with less than 14 bcm at the start of the previous heating season. The current level exceeds the government's minimum target of 13.2 bcm.
Naftogaz is continuing to repair damaged facilities and strengthen security measures ahead of winter.
Severe cold spells and attacks on storage facilities forced the company to import a record 7.8 bcm of gas during 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, Fedorenko said.
The company has so far secured contracts to import more than one billion cubic meters of gas ahead of the current heating season. Around 25% of the contracted volume will arrive as liquefied natural gas (LNG), with deliveries scheduled between December and March.
Naftogaz expects Ukraine's gas consumption to decline to around 20 billion cubic meters in 2026, from 21 bcm in 2025. The decline is attributed to damage to industrial infrastructure caused by Russian attacks, which have forced several factories to suspend operations.
Since the war began, Russian attacks have targeted oil and gas production, processing and transportation facilities, as well as thermal power plants in areas near the front lines.
Ukraine relies on gas imports from European suppliers, particularly through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, after ending direct purchases of Russian gas in 2015.
