Ukraine’s natural gas storage facilities are at their lowest levels in at least 11 years, holding just 6 billion cubic meters (bcm) as of May 11, according to data released Wednesday by the analytical company ExPro.
The country has been compelled to increase gas withdrawals from storage and boost imports this winter and spring following Russian missile attacks that damaged production facilities in eastern Ukraine.
ExPro noted that the storage facilities, which have a capacity exceeding 30 bcm, are less than 20% full. This compares to 31.7% at the same time last year, when they held 8.8 bcm of gas.
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Since the start of the current injection season in mid-April, 610 million cubic meters of gas have been pumped into storage, including 258 million in April, ExPro reported.
“Injection volumes in May 2025 are higher than in May last year. Overall, more than 350 million cubic metres of natural gas have been injected into storage facilities since the beginning of the month, 33% more than in the same period last year,” the company stated.
ExPro forecasts that Ukraine could have approximately 6.6 bcm of gas in reserve by the end of May.
Serhiy Makogon, the former head of the Ukrainian gas transit operator, stated last month that the country needs to import up to 6.3 billion cubic meters of gas for the 2025/26 winter season, as reserves have fallen to a record low due to war-related damage to some facilities. He estimated that Ukraine would need up to $3 billion for these gas purchases.
Ukraine’s state oil and gas firm Naftogaz has announced it is in discussions with the government and international financial institutions to raise 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to purchase over 2 bcm of gas for the 2025/26 heating season. Naftogaz has also contracted 300 mcm of American LNG with deliveries from Poland’s Orlen.
