Bloomberg News reported that widespread Russian attacks on energy infrastructure in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions have knocked out about 60 percent of Ukraine’s natural gas production capacity.
This heavy blow presents the country with a serious challenge on the eve of the winter season and may force Kiev to urgently import gas worth $2.2 billion.
Kiev informed its Western allies this week that Russian missile and drone bombardment – including 35 missiles and 60 drones – had targeted facilities of Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz, severely disrupting gas production, according to Bloomberg sources.
Sergei Koretsky, CEO of Oil and Gas, described the attack as the largest attack on gas production during the war and stressed that the facilities had no military use.
If Russian attacks continue, Ukraine will import at least 4.4 billion cubic meters of gas – equivalent to about 20 percent of its annual consumption – by March
