The head of Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz has called on the EU to help protect the country’s gas storage facilities from Russian attacks, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

“It is of interest of the EU to protect storage, transportation and production [facilities]”, given that Ukraine’s gas infrastructure is “well integrated” into Europe’s energy system, said Oleksiy Chernyshov, chief executive of state-run Naftogaz, according to the UK business daily.

Gas storage sites in western Ukraine had come under attack from Russian air strikes several times in recent months, he added.

“Technologically, we’re all fit and we have managed to repair the [damaged surface] equipment and we fulfil our obligations [to our customers],” said Chernyshov in regard to the attacks.

Ukraine still acts as a transit route for Russian pipeline gas into Europe and its underground gas storage provided European traders with space to store their excess fuel ahead of last winter.

As part of its ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia has increasingly targeted the country’s energy infrastructure and recently destroyed a significant amount of power production capacity.


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