Recently, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine created a temporary special commission (TSC) to investigate violations by Naftogaz, which led to the technical default of the state corporation. As a result of the default, many negative consequences are expected for Ukrainians, including an increase in tariffs and a decrease in revenues to the budget. But citizens are primarily concerned about whether this will affect the heating season and how we will survive the coming winter.
Mykhailo Pozhivanov, doctor of technical sciences, professor, people's deputy of the 4th convocation, who heads the party organization of the VO "Batkivshchyna" in Odesa, commented on the difficult situation in which the state found itself due to the actions of Naftogaz:
"The issue is ambiguous. On the one hand, Europe is trying to reduce the consumption of Russian energy resources, most of which pass through the Ukrainian gas transportation system, but on the other hand, not all EU countries agree on this. In addition, they cannot quickly find an alternative to Russian oil and gas.
Our Druzhba gas and oil pipeline, which goes to Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and other countries, works stably today, and unlike our cities, it has never been hit by rocket attacks. And this raises the question: it is difficult to imagine a situation in which during the Second World War Germany would supply energy resources to the USSR, Great Britain or the USA.
I will note the position of Yulia Tymoshenko, who has repeatedly indicated that the gas produced by herself and stored in our warehouses will be enough for Ukraine for the next winter. Unfortunately, the same "Naftogaz" is not very open in its reports to see the real situation regarding the volumes of gas produced by itself. And we perfectly understand the possibility of speculation with Ukrainian gas, when its price in recent months on the European stock exchange reached 2000-2500 dollars per thousand cubic meters. Speculators in connection with "Naftogaz" could freely sell our cheap gas at such a price to make money, and then also demand funds from the budget for a painless passage of the heating season. These are just my assumptions, but Naftogaz really demanded the allocation of 264 billion hryvnias from the budget for the purchase of energy resources.
The second question: the state of the heating infrastructure, especially in the areas of hostilities - in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, in the south of the country, everywhere where there is extensive damage to cities and heating networks.
It is obvious that it will not be possible to restore them quickly, and this heating season in the affected areas will be extremely difficult. In western and central Ukraine, the situation is much better, and there, in my opinion, there will be no major problems with heating.
As for the occupied territories with destroyed cities, the situation there is even worse. People have to move from there. I often communicate with the people of Mariupol, many of them were in basements for 30-60 days without heating, normal water and food - this is pain and horror. Soon the cold will come, October-November will come, and people in the occupied territories must understand what awaits them and make a decision about leaving now.
Unfortunately, the authorities have not yet given answers to Ukrainians' questions. But at least thanks to the tough position of Yulia Tymoshenko and Oleksiy Kucherenko in the Verkhovna Rada, it was possible to prevent the corruption scheme of Naftogaz's withdrawal from the budget of the colossal sum of 264 billion hryvnias, which the state company requested for the purchase of gas," stressed Mykhailo Pozhivanov.
According to the politician, it is the audit of Naftogaz, which was initiated by Batkivshchyna in the Verkhovna Rada, that will finally lift the veil of secrecy over the real situation with gas, after which it will be possible to set specific tasks so that Ukraine overcomes the heating season as painlessly as possible.
