Gas use spikes in Ukraine: Naftogaz urges saving and wearing "extra jumpers"

Natalia Boyko, deputy chairman of the supervisory board of Naftogaz of Ukraine, has warned of a sharp increase in gas consumption in the country—up 20% since the start of the week—and urged Ukrainians to save energy. She made the remarks on Thursday at the Kyiv International Economic Forum.

Boyko said that the cold snap has prompted Ukrainians to heat their homes with gas more actively than last year, placing extra strain on an already damaged system.

"If we consume something today, we may be taking something away from ourselves in February," she warned.

The situation is worsened by Russia’s sixth attack on Ukraine’s gas production facilities in two weeks. Hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles targeted key installations in Poltava and Kharkiv regions, injuring four Naftogaz employees.

Boyko urged Ukrainians to reconsider everyday habits. "Everyone can wear an extra jumper at home. I'm campaigning hard for everyone to save energy resources: electricity, gas, heat—and not to warm up where you don't need it critically," she said.

Naftogaz is focusing on two priorities: restoring damaged infrastructure and securing additional funding.

By early October, the company had accumulated around $2.5 billion for gas purchases, half from its own funds and half from loan and grant financing from partners. For the first time, Boyko said, Ukraine has received loan financing without a sovereign guarantee from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The restoration process is complicated by the specialized nature of equipment, she added. Large compressor equipment is not stocked in warehouses and must be manufactured to order, a process taking months, not weeks.

• On October 3, Russia launched the largest attack on Ukraine’s gas production infrastructure since the start of the war. According to Bloomberg, this disabled 60% of the country’s gas production, creating a need for additional imports during the heating season. Sources estimate Ukraine will require an extra 4.4 billion cubic meters of gas by the end of March, almost equal to the volumes purchased during the off-season.