Between April and October 2023, Ukraine’s GTS Operator transported more than 3 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the EU and Moldova to Ukraine. This is 7 times more than the volume of gas transported during the same period last year (414 million cubic meters).

Out of the said volume, 2.4 billion cubic meters of gas stored in Ukraine’s UGFs is owned by foreign companies.

“The fact that European traders are booking Ukraine’s GTS capacities is the result of the work carried out with regard to the certification of Ukraine’s UGFs in accordance with the European standards. Such activity is proof of the complete integration of Ukraine’s gas infrastructure into the European one. This is an important step on the way to making Ukraine an energy hub and setting Europe free from its dependence on Russian gas,” Ukraine’s energy minister German Galushchenko noted.

According to the data of Ukraine’s GTS Operator, Slovakia became the main direction from which natural gas was transported to Ukraine, accounting for 45% of the overall deliveries. Natural gas was also transported from Hungary (27%), Poland (12%) and from the Trans-Balkan direction (from Romania via Moldova, 16%).

This year the Trans-Balkan route was used for the first time, mostly to transport gas pursuant to orders for storage placed by foreign traders.

“It is extremely important for us, as Ukraine’s GTS Operator, to keep proving that despite all the risks we are Europe’s reliable partner. We have been having a lot of meetings with our European colleagues and customers to alleviate their concerns. The 3 billion cubic meters of gas that have been delivered to Ukraine since April is a foreign companies’ response to our efforts, as well as a sign of confidence in Ukraine and Ukraine’s gas infrastructure,” Dmytro Lyppa, General Director of Ukraine’s GTS Operator, emphasised.

Let it be reminded that at the energy ministry’s initiative Ukraine’s GTS Operator has carried out – together with Ukrtransgaz – stress testing of the country’s gas infrastructure under the wartime conditions. Simulations were carried out by a work group comprised of (and with the support of) the USAID Energy Security Project, the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Commission’s Directorate General “Joint Research Center”, and the Simone Research Group. According to the assessment of an expert group, the simulated scenarios have confirmed the high reliability of the Ukrainian gas infrastructure, particularly when it comes to gas storage and transportation for the benefit of foreign customers, notwithstanding the wartime risks.