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gas production technologies in Lviv region, for example 3D seismic studies to enable the detection of new gas reservoirs and ramp up production. We see that investment in the Lviv gas sector has a meaningful effect. People have jobs, the country has gas, and the state receives taxes. I hope that next year, Naftogaz will invest in deep drilling and exploration of new deposits in the region. Investments in seismic studies must also be continued. This will help to increase gas output and, as a result, ensure heating for more Ukrainians,” Kozytsky said.
“Ukraine is struggling now and our company is struggling as well. We fight for every cubic meter of gas. We know the gas situation in Europe and are aware of the significance of our work. We are doing our best to increase domestic gas production,” commented Oleksandr Sendeha, director of Lvivgasvydobuvannya.
Commenting on preparations for the coming heating season, Vitrenko stressed that the current infrastructural readiness of Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities is 100%. 13.9 bcm has already been pumped into storage and the pumping process is underway. Naftogaz has also initiated gas purchases from private producers, with over 200 mcm purchased to date.
Naftogaz has also started implementation of projects for the construction of a number of biofuel CHP facilities.
2.3 Politics - misc
Russian proxies announce final results of sham annexation votes. The proxies in Moscow-held territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts claimed that nearly all residents voted in favor of joining Russia. Moscow seeks to use sham referendums, held at gunpoint and despite international outrage between Sept. 23-27, to illegally annex Ukrainian lands, as it did in Crimea in 2014. Ukrainian officials said the "referendums" were held under coercive conditions, with Russian soldiers carrying weapons doing house calls to force Ukrainian citizens to vote. Russia's state-controlled news outlet Ria Novosti claimed, citing proxies, that 99% voted in favor of joining Russia in Donetsk Oblast, as well as 98% in Luhansk Oblast, 87% in Kherson Oblast, and 93% in Zaporizhzhia region.
President Zelenskiyy signs a decree ruling out negotiations with Putin. The Ukrainian president signed a ban into law that effectively prevents any negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Ukrainian government’s official website. The decree enacts a decision by the country’s National Security and Defense Council stipulating the “impossibility of conducting negotiations” with Putin. However, Volodymyr Zelenskiyy added, “We are ready for a dialog with Russia, but with a new president of Russia.”
Ukraine has officially applied for fast-track Nato membership, Ukraine Business News reported on October 3. All 30 member states must agree on Ukraine’s accelerated membership, with 10 states supporting Ukraine’s accession so far. These include: Canada, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia and Czechia. “The world had a chance to stop this insanity in 2008 when Ukraine could have been granted a
8 UKRAINE Country Report October 2022 www.intellinews.com