By Anastasiia Malenko and Pavel Polityuk
Firefighters work at the site where an energy infrastructure enterprise was hit during overnight Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Poltava region, Ukraine October 16, 2025. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Poltava region/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
KYIV, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Russian attacks have forced Ukraine to suspend activities at several major gas facilities this month, the state energy company said on Thursday, leaving Kyiv in need of more imports.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due to meet U.S. Donald Trump on Friday, with potential U.S. energy procurement for Kyiv as well as weapon sales believed to be on the table.
In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelenskiy said.
“This autumn, the Russians use every single day to strike at our energy infrastructure,” he said on X.
Russia has been hitting Ukraine’s energy and power facilities for consecutive winters as the war drags into its fourth year, initially focusing on electricity but this year increasingly targeting gas infrastructure.
Sergii Koretskyi, CEO of state energy company Naftogaz, said there had been six major attacks on gas facilities this month alone. The latest hits damaged facilities in several regions with operations halted at some, he said.
“This directly impacts the volume of domestic gas production, which we are forced to cover through imports,” Koretskyi said, urging Ukrainians to consume gas economically.
GAS NEEDED FOR COLD MONTHS
Ukraine’s cash-strapped government is in talks with international allies to raise funds to import more for the cold autumn and winter months.
Ukraine will need to import at least 6.3 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas for the 2025/26 winter season and may also have to restrict supplies to consumers, the former head of Ukraine’s gas transit operator Serhiy Makogon said.
His forecasts significantly exceed the estimates of the energy ministry, which forecast imports at 4.6 bcm, but stated the need for additional purchases after Russian attacks.
“Everything depends on (Russian) strikes here. If they become even stronger, we will have to import more. Or restrict consumers — industry and heat and power companies,” Makogon told Reuters in written comments.