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.

Since the start of the current season of injection in mid-April 610 million cubic metres of gas have been pumped into the storage facilities. Of these, 258 million were pumped in April.

"Injection volume in May 2025 is higher than last May." ExPro reported that since the start of the month more than 350 millions cubic metres of gas has been injected in storage facilities, a 33% increase over the same period the previous year.

By the end of this month, the company predicted that Ukraine would have 6.6 billion cubic meters of gas stored in reserves.

Serhiy Makovon, the former head of Ukraine's gas transit operator, stated last month that the country would need to import up 6.3 billion cubic meters of gas to meet its winter needs in 2025/26, as the reserves had fallen to an all-time low because of war-related damages to certain facilities.

He stated that Ukraine will need to spend up to $3 billion on gas.

Naftogaz, Ukraine's oil and gas state company, has announced that it is in discussions with the government and international financing institutions to raise $1. billion to buy over 2 billion cubic meters of gas for 2025/26 heating seasons.

Naftogaz said that it has also contracted for 300 mcm American LNG, with deliveries coming from Poland's Orlen. (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier; reporting by Pavel Polityuk)

(source: Reuters)