Russian LNG exports dropped 4.4% year-on-year in January to June, according to data
LSEG's preliminary data on Wednesday showed that Russia's liquefied gas exports in the first six months of this year fell by 4.4% compared to a year ago, reaching 15.2 million metric tonnes. This was despite international sanctions over Ukraine. The United States, in particular, has imposed sanctions against companies and vessels connected to Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant due to the conflict in Ukraine. This effectively freezes the project as Moscow is unable find buyers. U.S. president Donald Trump said that he wanted the European Union (EU) to buy more U.S. LNG, and he would make it more available.
Ukraine Approves Gas Import Via Transbalkan Pipeline To Avoid High Transit Fees
Ukraine's energy regulator has approved a gas import mechanism that will avoid high transit fees when supplying gas through the Transbalkan pipeline from Greece to Ukraine, the Ukrainian energy ministry said on Tuesday.Ukraine has faced a serious gas shortage since a series of devastating Russian missile strikes this year, which significantly reduced domestic gas production.Ukraine now imports gas via Slovakia and Hungary, but does not use the southern route because of its higher transit tariffs, as gas from LNG terminals in Greece also passes through Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova."The Transbalkan route has significant potential to meet Ukraine's immediate needs ...
Analyst ExPro states that Ukraine's gas reserves have dropped to their lowest level for 11 years.
ExPro, an analytical company, said that the gas volumes in Ukrainian storage sites are at their lowest level for at least 11 year. They stood at 6 billion cubic meters (bcm), as of Wednesday. After Russian missiles damaged the production facilities to the east of Ukraine, Ukraine was forced to increase gas imports and withdraw more gas from storage this winter and in the spring. ExPro reported that the storage facilities with a capacity greater than 30 bcm were less than 20 percent full. This compares to 31,7 percent at the same time in 2024 when they held 8,8 bcm.
Transmission operator: Ukraine imports more gas
The operator of the national gas transmission system reported that Ukraine increased its gas imports to approximately 15.5 million cubic meters (mcms) per day over the weekend and Monday, compared with 14.5 mcms per day the previous week. After Russian missiles damaged the production facilities to the east of Ukraine, Ukraine was forced to increase gas imports and withdraw more gas from storage this winter and in the spring. According to data from the operator, Ukraine will import 9,7 mcm (million cubic meters) of gas from Hungary on Monday and 5.7 million from Poland.
Operator data shows that Ukraine increased its gas imports on Thursday by 40%.
The operator of the national gas transmission system announced that Ukraine would increase its gas imports on Thursday by almost 40%, to 13,3 million cubic meters. This is due to an increased import from Hungary. After Russian missiles damaged the production facilities to the east of Ukraine, Ukraine was forced to increase gas imports and withdraw more gas from storage this winter and in the spring. According to data from the operator, Ukraine will import 9,8 mcm (million cubic meters) of gas from Hungary on Thursday and 3.5 million cubic metres from Poland. Kyiv imported gas from Hungary on Wednesday and Poland on Thursday.
Serhiy Korotetskyi is appointed as the new CEO of Ukraine's Naftogaz
Naftogaz, Ukraine's national oil and gas company, announced on Tuesday that Serhiy Koretskyi would be its new CEO effective May 14. Koretskyi, an engineer and economist, is the CEO of Ukrnafta & Ukrtatnafta which are both part of Naftogaz. In 2022, he took over Ukrnafta - Ukraine's largest petroleum company. Oleksiy Cernyshov was appointed as deputy prime minister in December 2024 and left Naftogaz. Naftogaz, Ukraine's largest gas producer, also dominates gas imports. The need for gas imports has increased sharply since a series large-scale Russian assaults on Ukrainian gas production plants in early 2025.
National Bank of Ukraine: Ukraine will need $2.9 billion in 2025 to purchase gas
Ukraine's National Bank stated on Friday that the country will need $2.9 billion in gas imports by 2025, after Russian missiles and drones damaged Ukrainian gas production plants. In the late winter and spring of 2016, Russia repeatedly attacked Ukrainian gas assets located in the east. This caused a drop of at least 40% in gas production. A certain amount of capacity has been recovered. The bank stated in a recent report that although production would gradually improve, it wouldn't be enough to meet the needs of industry, utilities, and households.
As reserves are at a record low, Ukraine could need to import up to 6.3 billion cubic meters of gas next winter
The former head of Ukraine's gas transit operator stated on Sunday that the country may have to import as much as 6.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) for winter 2025/26 due to the fact that its reserves are at a record-low level because of war-related damages to certain facilities. Serhiy Mikogon, a Telegram Messenger user, said that after Russian missiles damaged production facilities to the east of Ukraine in winter and spring, Ukraine was forced to increase gas imports and withdraw more from storage. Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data showed that storage levels were "the lowest ever", at 0.7 Bcm, 2.22% full capacity as of April 16th.
Media report that the Russian court has increased the penalty for Naftogaz Ukraine to $1.3 billion.
Russian news agencies reported that a Russian court increased the financial penalty imposed on Ukraine's Naftogaz state energy company from $150 million to $1.3 billion for its decision to pursue international arbitration in order to resolve a dispute over gas transit with Gazprom. Naftogaz didn't immediately respond to a comment request. St Petersburg's region court took action against Naftogaz in the last year, more than two years after Russia's war began with Ukraine. The five-year transit agreement for gas expired on January 1, 2020. After that date, Russia stopped exporting gas to Europe through Ukraine.
Bloggers claim that Russian special forces attacked Ukrainian forces at Kursk via a gas pipeline
Pro-Russian bloggers claimed that Russian special forces snuck miles through a large gas pipeline near Sudzha to try to surprise Ukrainian troops as part of a massive offensive to eject Ukrainian soldier from the western Russian region Kursk. In August of last year, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers took over about 1,300 sq km of Russia's Kursk Region in an effort to gain bargaining power in future negotiations as well as to force Russia to withdraw its military forces from eastern Ukraine. In its daily report on the situation at Kursk, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that its forces had retaken Lebedevka and also seized Novenke…
The price of gas in Europe has recovered from a new 5-month low
The European wholesale gas price at the TTF hub has rebounded after dropping to its lowest level in 5 months early in trade, amid protests against gas infrastructure in Ukraine. LSEG data shows that the benchmark front-month contract for the Dutch TTF Hub rose to 39.94 Euros per megawatt hour or MWh, or $12.71/mmBtu at 09:39 GMT. It traded at 36.45 Euros/MWh earlier on Friday. This was its lowest price since September 27, 2024. The British front-month contracts also hit a low of five months and traded at 91 pence a therm, 3.04 pence less. The British day-ahead contracts was up 1.75 cents at 95 p/therm.
The benchmark Dutch gas price has fallen on EU's Ukraine gas transport push
Dutch wholesale gas fell below 40 euro ($43.31), for the first time in this year, after news broke that European leaders were set to ask EU authorities and Kyiv intensify their talks to resolve an end to Russian gas transiting through Ukraine. By 1606 GMT, the benchmark front-month contract for the Dutch TTF hub had fallen by 2.15 euros to 38.85 euros/MWh, or $12.26/mmBtu. LSEG data show that the contract reached 38.48 Euros in early trade, its lowest since November 2024. The contract for May fell by 3.24 euros, to 38.62 Euro/MWh. The British day-ahead contract fell 4 pence to 95 pence/therm.
Hungary wants to remove eight people from EU sanctions against Russia
EU diplomats say that Hungary wants to remove 8 individuals from the European Union’s Russia sanctions list, and to receive new guarantees regarding Ukraine gas transit negotiations before it agrees to renew restrictions. EU sanctions against Russia, imposed because of Moscow's war on Ukraine, must be renewed by unanimous vote every six months. Budapest has used this renewal as a bargaining opportunity. Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote on Facebook on Monday that Budapest "would not consent to moving forward" in extending sanctions against individuals.
Operator data indicates that Ukraine will double its gas imports by Wednesday
Data provided by the operator for the state-owned gas transmission system revealed that Ukraine intends to double its daily imports of gas on Wednesday, to 5 million cubic meters (mcm). The operator did explain the reason for the increase. However, temperatures in central Ukraine can fall to minus five degrees Celsius (23 degree Fahrenheit) at this time of the year. Ukraine imports large volumes of gas, and it has underground storage facilities to meet the demand for winter heating. After the Russian gas transit through Ukraine was stopped at the beginning of this year…
Moldova Gaz: Moldova sends first 3 mcm gas to Transdniestria
The company Moldovagaz said that it shipped the first 3 million cubic meters of natural gas to the Russian-backed separatist Transdniestria on Saturday. These were the first deliveries after the Russian gas transit via Ukraine was halted. The pro-Moscow enclave in which Russia has sent troops to support the breakaway administration has been without power and heat since New Year's Day. This is because Ukraine refused to renew the transit agreement for Russian gas after almost three years of conflict between Kyiv & Moscow. Vadim ceban, CEO of Moldovagaz…
Moldova will ship the first 3 mcm gas to breakaway regions on Saturday, says company
A Moldovan official in the industry said that the country will be sending 3 million cubic meters (mcms) of gas on Saturday to its separatist Transdniestria. This is the first fuel delivery to the region since the end of December, when the gas transit through Ukraine ceased. The morning delivery is to be made to the Transdniestrian Gas System, which already has a gas shortage to maintain pressure. Vadim Ceban, CEO of Moldovagaz, said that the contract between Tiraspoltransgaz and Moldovagaz stipulates that this amount of gas will be provided to Tiraspoltransgaz as a debt due by March 1, 2025. Since Jan.
EUROPE GAS - Prices at a new 15-month high due to cold weather and restocking fears
The Dutch and British wholesale prices of gas rose on Friday morning to a new 15-month high as the cold weather forecasts increased demand. There were also concerns about storage refilling due to tightness on the market. According to LSEG, the benchmark front-month contract for the Dutch TTF hub rose by 0.78 euros at 51.60 Euros per Megawatt Hour (MWh), which is $15.80/mmBtu at 0948 GMT. This was its highest level since October 20, 2023. The Dutch March contract increased by 0.50 euros to 52.22 Euro/MWh. The front-month contract in Britain rose by 2.25 cents to 132.00 pence per therm.
Orban: Hungary will block EU Russia sanctions the next time, unless Ukraine gas is transited again.
Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orban warned on Friday that he would block the next rollover in EU sanctions against Russia, unless Brussels helped achieve a restart of Russian Gas Transit via Ukraine which was stopped on January 1. Orban said on state radio that Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit into Central Europe, and the price hike that resulted from it, was "unacceptable". The transit agreement expired, and Russian gas exports through pipelines in Ukraine ceased. Kyiv has refused to negotiate another transit agreement as the war against Russia's invasion enters its third year.
Hungary wants Ukraine to resume gas transit as EU sanctions are about to roll over
Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, said that the European Union should persuade Ukraine so it can resume the transit of gas from Russia into Europe. This is a controversial issue as the EU tries to extend sanctions against Russia in the next week. Hungary has yet to decide whether it will support the rollover of sanctions due at the end this month. The EU must renew sanctions every six-months and require unanimity from its 27 members to do so. Orban, who has a government that maintains closer economic and politic relations with Moscow than any other EU country…
Russia launches new missiles at Ukraine and targets its gas infrastructure
Russia has launched another barrage of drones and missiles against Ukraine, this time targeting the gas infrastructure in western regions. This is the latest attack on Ukraine's crippled power system just as winter approaches. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that Russian forces used over 70 drones and 40 missiles in the morning's attack. He said that Ukrainian air defences had shot down 30 missiles or more. "Another massive Russian assault. "It's winter and the Russians are still targeting our energy infrastructure," Zelenskiy wrote in a post on X Platform.
