Ukraine enters winter with a gas surplus and eyes European exports

Ukraine has moved from a reliance on gas imports to a surplus position, despite ongoing Russian attacks on its gas fields. DTEK chief Maxim Timchenko explained that the nation will continue to purchase LNG but intends to exploit its extensive, secure storage capacity to conduct profitable arbitrage with Europe this winter. The country’s coal stock, essential for thermal power, is running low after Russian strikes on mines and supply routes.

Over the past few years, roughly €300 million has been spent rebuilding the power grid and installing anti-drone defenses around substations. Timchenko suggested that, with these measures, Ukraine could avoid widespread heating or electricity outages during the cold season. Nevertheless, he cautioned that Russia’s expanding drone arsenal could still threaten the nation’s energy preparations.