Ukrnafta, Ukraine’s state‑owned oil company, is rapidly adding sand‑filled blast barriers and concrete shelters to its network of fuel stations as Russian forces intensify attacks on civilian energy infrastructure.
Local retailers step up defenses
Retailers across the country have begun installing sand‑filled gabion walls – wire‑mesh cubes packed with sand – around pumps and canopies. The company says the goal is to expand these protective measures to other cities soon, after recent strikes hit stations in Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv.
Lesya Zharska, director of Ukrnafta’s station network, told Reuters from a station on the outskirts of Kyiv that the company is prepared for the winter months. “We will protect the facilities. We will restore the facilities. We are ready for the winter,” she said, noting that workers were already rebuilding a station destroyed in a recent attack.
No shortage expected despite attacks
A senior executive at Ukrnafta confirmed that the company is taking steps to safeguard its facilities and that the strikes will not cause fuel shortages this winter, even with an anticipated 10‑15 % rise in demand.
In recent weeks, at least six Ukrnafta stations in Kyiv have been hit. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reported that Russia has destroyed more than 300 stations in the last six months.
Operational safeguards in place
When a yellow or red air‑alarm sounds, Ukrnafta halts operations, directs customers to leave, and moves staff to shelters. The company has also equipped stations with backup diesel generators and secured sufficient fuel imports to prevent supply gaps.
“When there is a yellow or red air alarm, we stop operations and ask customers to leave, and staff head to shelters,” Zharska explained.
Broader context
Moscow claims it does not deliberately target civilian infrastructure, but the frequency of attacks on populated areas has risen as Russian forces struggle to advance on the ground. Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries have contributed to fuel shortages in Russia, prompting an export ban.
Analysts expect Russia to intensify strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter temperatures drop, making Ukrnafta’s defensive measures a critical component of the nation’s energy resilience.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
