This information was provided by Dmytro Ponomarenko, director of hydrocarbon exploration and production at DTEK Naftohaz. It is a key gas company in Ukraine. During the forum in Kiev he stressed that destruction of gas and oil extraction infrastructure is one of the key challenges for the Ukrainian energy sector.
“As we see in Ukraine, the targets of Russian shelling are primarily energy facilities. To protect them, an adequate amount of air defense equipment is necessary“- he added.
See also: Ukraine will receive half a billion euros in a loan for emergency gas purchases
“Our oil and gas infrastructure is being mercilessly destroyed.”
Despite the difficulties, DTEK Naftogaz plans to develop its infrastructure and increase production. Ponomarenko stressed that Ukraine cannot rely solely on gas imports. “Our oil and gas infrastructure is being mercilessly destroyed, so we need to develop it. In such conditions, it is necessary to stimulate local production.” – he said.
The company is actively looking for support in Europe and the United States, which is part of its long-term development strategy. “At the beginning of the invasion, international cooperation was not obvious to us, but over time we began to develop service activities as a window of opportunity. We are acquiring new technologies and resources,” he explained.
See also: Europe spends more on Russian raw materials than on support for Ukraine
DTEK Naftogaz is also conducting negotiations under the US-Ukrainian fund provided for in the “natural resources agreement”. However, the details of these talks remain a secret for now.
Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure
Since the beginning of autumn, Russian troops have been intensifying their shelling of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The Minister of Energy of Ukraine, Svitlana Hrynchuk, announced on October 7 that Kiev plans to increase imports of natural gas by 30%. in response to Russian airstrikes. The attacks significantly reduced local gas production, although details on the scale of losses were not provided.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that most of the recent Russian attacks were aimed at civilian facilities, including energy infrastructure. According to him Russia is seeking to destabilize the Ukrainian energy system before the upcoming winter.
