This is reported by RBK-Ukraine with reference to Reuters. It is also noted by Kontrakty.UA.
"We could manage without imports this heating season, but attacks on production are forcing us to import gas to compensate for the reduction in domestic output," said an anonymous source from the agency.
Since the invasion in 2022, Russia has launched numerous missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy sector, but in recent weeks, it has intensified attacks on gas fields.
The state-owned "Naftogaz" and the large private energy company DTEK reported that in February, Russia attacked and damaged their facilities at least twice.
Before the attacks, Ukraine was extracting about 52 million cubic meters of gas daily, while in winter, consumption ranged from 110 to 140 million cubic meters per day. The deficit was covered by gas storage.
The operator of Ukraine's gas transportation systems reports that the country began increasing gas imports at the beginning of February, and since then, volumes have surged nearly tenfold, exceeding 20 million cubic meters per day.
The source and energy officials have not disclosed the current level of gas extraction. Ukraine primarily uses gas for heating homes and domestic needs.
Ukraine's main gas extraction facilities are vulnerable to Russian attacks, as they are located in the frontline Kharkiv region and the neighboring Poltava region.
The source indicated that gas reserves in Ukraine's storage are low; however, with planned imports and domestic gas production, the country should be able to survive the heating season, which typically starts in late October and ends in April, without imposing any restrictions on industry and households.
The source mentioned that Ukraine needs to start injecting gas for the winter season of 2025/26 in the spring and also accumulate around 13 billion cubic meters of gas. At the beginning of the current season, Ukraine had 12.9 billion cubic meters of gas in storage.
The source noted that it is still unclear how much gas can be imported after March, as this will depend on the level of local production, which is directly affected by the intensity of Russian missile strikes.
It is worth noting that the cost of gas in Europe is currently around 525 dollars per thousand cubic meters. Therefore, 800 million cubic meters will cost Ukraine approximately 420 million dollars.