Gas injection into Ukrainian UGS increased 1.5 times in May – to 1.1 bcm

Natural gas injection into Ukraine’s underground gas storage (UGS) facilities reached approximately 1.1 bcm in May 2025, according to ExPro data. Compared to May 2024, this represents a nearly 1.5-fold increase, from 750 mcm in May 2024 to 1.1 bcm in May 2025.

Reasons for growth

The significant increase in gas injection volumes is primarily due to active preparations for the upcoming heating season. Given that Ukraine exited the previous heating season with record-low storage levels, there is a pressing need to boost injection rates.

The increase was mainly driven by imported gas, which accounted for about 45% of the total volume injected into UGS in May 2025, or roughly 500 mcm. The remaining 55% came from domestically produced gas. Ukraine is gradually restoring gas production following severe damage caused by massive Russian attacks in February–March, although production has not yet returned to January levels.

Gas reserves

As of early June, gas reserves in Ukraine’s underground storage facilities stood at 6.8 bcm, according to ExPro. The storages are currently 22% full. Although this year’s storage level remains the lowest in the past 11 years, the gap compared to last year is gradually narrowing.

By the start of the next heating season (November 1), Ukraine needs to accumulate at least 12.65 bcm of natural gas in storage. However, to ensure stable passage through the winter under any circumstances, higher storage levels are required, which will necessitate additional gas imports.

At the initiative of the Ministry of Energy, Ukraine and the countries participating in the so-called “Vertical Corridor” have already agreed on a new joint product that will enable the import of additional gas volumes via the Trans-Balkan route as early as this summer.