Naftogaz next: Expert warns of shift in Russian strike strategy

This year, Russian forces are expected to keep pounding Naftogaz facilities in a deliberate bid to knock out Ukraine’s gas-fired power generation.

The warning comes from Andrii Zakrevskyi, Deputy Director of the Energy and Natural Resources Association of Ukraine, speaking to Novyny.LIVE.

According to Zakrevskyi, the strikes on the state-owned energy giant were highly predictable.

"I predicted a year ago that they would target Naftogaz as their top priority this year. If you look back, there were even publications where I said that Naftogaz would be next (after electricity generation - Ed.)," Zakrevskyi said.

He explained that the country’s gas and gas-to-power generation completely relies on the company’s infrastructure, and Ukraine currently has no alternatives to natural gas.

Given the threat, Zakrevskyi urged the country to keep importing gas. He emphasized that imports do more than just boost supply—they act as a critical security shield by diversifying supply routes.

"This winter proved that imports are not just about the cubic meters of gas we burn for heat or convert into electricity when we need it—imports are also about additional security. Meaning, when you have diversification, it’s not just about when they hit you with 'Oreshnik' missiles, say, in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi or another underground gas storage facility. The import pipeline itself is an additional source that scatters the gas supply across hundreds of linear kilometers of pipelines. This allows us to reroute flows. When you have five additional import routes, it also means additional pressure," the energy specialist concluded.