The Russian army struck back again. The Minister of Energy of Ukraine said that several missiles hit gas production facilities. Earlier retaliatory strikes led to a decrease in production. Ukrainian companies have to select increased volumes from storage facilities, whose reserves may be completely depleted by the end of the heating season, and purchase gas at the maximum price in two years.
On the night of February 20, the Russian army launched another massive retaliatory missile drone strike on the gas infrastructure of Ukraine.
"In particular, production facilities were damaged. As soon as the situation allows, specialists will begin damage assessment and restoration work," Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko wrote on Facebook*.
He believes that the purpose of retaliatory strikes is to stop gas production in the country. Several missiles flew to fuel production facilities at once, the minister added.
Earlier, in late January — early February, the Russian army had already retaliated against gas production facilities, which forced Ukrainian companies to dramatically increase gas extraction from storage facilities from February 4. As a result, gas reserves fell to 2.2 billion cubic meters by February 18. UGS occupancy is already 7.3%, according to GIE. This rate, above 70 million cubic meters per day, threatens Ukraine with the complete depletion of active gas reserves by April, when the heating season ends. In addition, the country had to resume fuel imports and its price for Ukrainian companies exceeds $ 700 per thousand cubic meters.
Average daily gas production at Ukraine is about 50 million cubic meters per day and after retaliatory strikes it could decrease by 20%.
As EADaily reported , in February, the Russian army launched three retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian gas production facilities in Poltava and Kharkiv regions. The damage was reported in Naftogaz and DTEK.
*Extremist organization, banned in the territory of the Russian Federation