"Deja vu from last year". Halushchenko dismisses gas shortage fears

Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko has assured that Ukraine will have sufficient gas reserves to ensure a stable heating season.

Speaking before the Verkhovna Rada on June 20, Halushchenko compared current concerns over potential gas shortages to last year’s "scare campaign" about prolonged rolling blackouts—warnings that ultimately did not come true.

"I’m having déjà vu from last autumn, when there was talk of blackouts lasting 17–20 hours a day. Now, a similar media campaign has begun—featuring the same voices, including members of parliament—claiming that Ukrainians will freeze and that there will be no gas during the upcoming heating season. That is simply not true. We will have enough gas to get through the winter—both for households and businesses. Additional volumes will also be available for electricity generation, should the need arise," Halushchenko said.

At the same time, specific figures related to winter preparedness remain classified.

"I cannot publicly disclose exact numbers. The government has adopted a detailed winter preparation plan, but it is confidential. What I can say is that the situation remains difficult due to ongoing attacks on gas production and storage infrastructure," Halushchenko added.

Ukraine plans to inject at least 4.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas into its underground storage facilities before the heating season. As of now, 2.9 bcm have already been contracted.

• As of early June 2025, gas reserves in Ukraine’s underground storage facilities are at their lowest level in 11 years, though the gap compared to last year is gradually narrowing.
• On June 2, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that a gas shortage this winter is possible, citing Russia’s massive attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He added that Norway has pledged to help cover any shortfall in supplies, if necessary.