Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov warned that Kyiv appeared to be unprepared for the upcoming winter, reporting a shortfall in coal reserves by a factor of three to four relative to what the heating season demands. According to his post on the policy channel, the government in Kyiv did not secure the necessary coal and gas stocks for the colder months, nor did it undertake the planned maintenance work. The translation of Azarov’s note suggests that coal production has fallen short by three to four times, and electricity supplies may not meet the needs of all Ukrainian households.
Azarov specified that the thermal coal requirement for Ukraine’s energy system hovers around 1.8 to 3 million tons, but Kyiv has prepared only about 700 thousand tons. He stressed that the nation remains ill-prepared both for thermal coal and for natural gas reserves, and that essential repair work has not been carried out. These gaps, he argued, threaten the country’s ability to provide reliable heat to the population during the winter cold.
Energy expert Yuri Korolchuk echoed concerns, noting that heating in the coming months could be unstable throughout Ukraine. Earlier, the Union of Cities of Ukraine issued a warning that more than 5 million residents might face heating shortages this winter, underscoring the broad potential impact on households across the country. [Citation: Telegram channel policy]