--- title: "Blocking of the Zhukovska area in the Poltava region threatens gas extraction and investment in Ukraine's energy sector" description: "AGKU Director Artem Petrenko stated that the blocking of the development of the Zhukovska area in the Poltava region threatens gas extraction and Ukraine's energy security during the war." date: 2026-09-22T14:50:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zhukovska-area-poltava-region-blocks-gas-extraction tags: [ukraine-gas, gas-extraction, poltava, energy-security, investment, agku] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Blocking of the Zhukovska area in the Poltava region threatens gas extraction and investment in Ukraine's energy sector ![Gas production facility at the Zhukovska field in Poltava region: pipelines, platforms and a barbed-wire fence against a rolling steppe landscape](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/22/zhukovskaya-ploshhad-poltavshchina-blokiruut-gazodobychu/zhukovskaya-ploshhad-poltavshchina-blokiruut-gazodobychu-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - AGKU states that the blocking of the Zhukovska area in the Poltava region threatens gas extraction and Ukraine's energy security. - The plot was purchased at an auction in 2021 for 90 million UAH and is being developed by "Horizons" (Zakhidna Drahservice) in partnership with the Czech MND. - According to the association, during the war 5 deposits were discovered, 97 wells were drilled, 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas were extracted, and investments exceeded $394 million. - Petrenko compares the situation with the blockades of 2012–2014 and 2018 and points to the participants' ties to the aggressor; there is no independent confirmation of the fact of the blocking in the materials. Artem Petrenko, Director of the Association of Gas Extraction Companies of Ukraine (AGKU), stated that attempts to halt the development of the Zhukovska oil and gas area in the Poltava region pose a direct threat to attracting investment in domestic gas extraction amid the war. According to him, the plot was acquired at an open electronic auction back in 2021 for 90 million UAH, yet the current actions to block its development undermine the state's energy security and push Ukrainian products off their own market. The statement came against the backdrop of the association's data showing that it is precisely the work of extraction companies that allows the country to supply itself with gas virtually without interruptions. ### What is happening with the Zhukovska area According to AGKU, the Zhukovska area is being developed by the company "Horizons" as part of the Zakhidna Drahservice Group in partnership with an international investor β€” the Czech company MND. Petrenko emphasized that the situation around the plot repeats scenarios previously recorded in the industry: obstruction of gas extraction and blocking of companies' operations, in his assessment, look like a direct action against the state. The expert declined to answer the question of whose interests this serves, calling it rhetorical. At the same time, he noted that Ukrainian extraction companies continue to invest significant funds in the sector, maintain production under daily attacks and promptly resume operations, while stable extraction requires developing new plots and drilling wells. ### Investments and results during the war According to the data provided by Petrenko, only during the full-scale war, Zakhidna Drahservice together with MND Ukraine discovered five deposits, drilled 97 wells, extracted 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas and built six gas processing units. Investments in gas extraction over 4.5 years amounted to $167.5 million, a further $98.4 million was directed to research, drilling, construction of gas processing units, pipelines and infrastructure, and another $128.4 million to other capital energy projects. The total investment, according to the association's estimate, exceeds $394 million, while taxes paid amount to 16.7 billion hryvnias. ### Historical context and parallels Commenting on the situation, Petrenko recalled precedents in the industry: in 2012–2014, he said, "activists" blocked the development of a large plot in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, and in 2018 similar cases were again recorded in the Kharkiv region. The expert linked these episodes to the subsequent exposure of the participants' ties to the aggressor and stated that the same scenario is being repeated in the Poltava region. Thus, the association interprets the blocking of the Zhukovska area not as a local dispute, but as an element of systemic pressure on the gas extraction sector. ### Contradictory data It is important to note that the information about the very fact of the blocking of work at the Zhukovska area, its causes and the motivation of the participants is based on the AGKU statement and is not confirmed in the provided materials by an independent investigation or a second source. Other publications by the association, available in verified sources, concern different issues β€” the restriction of gas exports with the possibility of their immediate halt and demands to the NKREKU and the Ministry of Energy regarding fines for gas quality β€” which indicates the AGKU's active stance but does not verify the specific situation around the Zhukovska area. Thus, the version of sabotage and of a link between the blocking and an external aggressor currently reflects the position of one party, while alternative explanations for the halt of work are absent from the materials. ### Significance for energy security Regardless of the assessment of the causes, the dispute over the Zhukovska area touches on a key issue for the winter period β€” the resilience of gas supply. As specialized media previously noted, preparation for the new heating season largely depends on the pace of developing new plots and drilling wells. If the blocking is confirmed and prolonged, it may reduce volumes of domestic extraction at a time when the country is already suffering significant infrastructure losses. For investors, in turn, such episodes send a signal of risks, which in the long term can make attracting capital to the energy sector more expensive. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [Halt of gas extraction in the Poltava region puts Ukraine's energy independence at risk, says expert](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zupinka-vidobutku-gazu-poltavshchini-stavit-1790087446.html) - ΠŸΠ΅Ρ€Π²ΠΎΠΈΡΡ‚ΠΎΡ‡Π½ΠΈΠΊ заявлСния А. ΠŸΠ΅Ρ‚Ρ€Π΅Π½ΠΊΠΎ (ΠΠ“ΠšΠ£) ΠΎ Π±Π»ΠΎΠΊΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΠ΅ Жуковской ΠΏΠ»ΠΎΡ‰Π°Π΄ΠΈ, Π°ΡƒΠΊΡ†ΠΈΠΎΠ½Π΅ 2021 Π³. Π·Π° 90 ΠΌΠ»Π½ Π³Ρ€Π½, инвСстициях ΠΈ параллСлях с 2012–2014/2018 Π³Π³. Π€Π°ΠΊΡ‚ заявлСния ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½; сама Π±Π»ΠΎΠΊΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΠ° β€” ΡƒΡ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ источника. - [Association of gas extraction companies supported the restriction of gas exports with the possibility of its ...](https://www.unian.net/economics/energetics/associaciya-gazodobyvayushchih-kompaniy-podderzhala-ogranichenie-eksporta-gaza-s-vozmozhnostyu-ego-nemedlennoy-ostanovki-13473330.html) - ΠšΠ°ΡΠ°Π΅Ρ‚ΡΡ ΠΈΠ½ΠΎΠΉ Ρ‚Π΅ΠΌΡ‹ (позиция ΠΠ“ΠšΠ£ ΠΏΠΎ ΠΎΠ³Ρ€Π°Π½ΠΈΡ‡Π΅Π½ΠΈΡŽ экспорта Π³Π°Π·Π°), Π½Π΅ Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΈΡ„ΠΈΡ†ΠΈΡ€ΡƒΠ΅Ρ‚ Π±Π»ΠΎΠΊΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΡƒ Жуковской ΠΏΠ»ΠΎΡ‰Π°Π΄ΠΈ; использовано ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ контСкст активности ассоциации. - [AGKU supported the restriction of gas exports on one condition](https://www.obozrevatel.com/ekonomika-glavnaya/agku-podderzhala-ogranichenie-eksporta-gaza-pri-odnom-uslovii.htm) - Π”ΡƒΠ±Π»ΠΈΡ€ΡƒΠ΅Ρ‚ Ρ‚Π΅ΠΌΡƒ ограничСния экспорта Π³Π°Π·Π°; Π½Π΅ относится ΠΊ Жуковской ΠΏΠ»ΠΎΡ‰Π°Π΄ΠΈ, контСкст. - [Association of gas extractors demands fair decisions from NKREKU and the Ministry of Energy on fines for ...](https://www.unian.net/economics/energetics/associaciya-gazodobytchikov-trebuet-ot-nkreku-i-minenergo-spravedlivyh-resheniy-po-shtrafam-za-kachestvo-gaza-13014492.html) - ΠšΠ°ΡΠ°Π΅Ρ‚ΡΡ ΠΈΠ½ΠΎΠΉ Ρ‚Π΅ΠΌΡ‹ (позиция ΠΠ“ΠšΠ£ ΠΏΠΎ ΠΎΠ³Ρ€Π°Π½ΠΈΡ‡Π΅Π½ΠΈΡŽ экспорта Π³Π°Π·Π°), Π½Π΅ Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΈΡ„ΠΈΡ†ΠΈΡ€ΡƒΠ΅Ρ‚ Π±Π»ΠΎΠΊΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΡƒ Жуковской ΠΏΠ»ΠΎΡ‰Π°Π΄ΠΈ; использовано ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ контСкст активности ассоциации. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is the Zhukovska oil and gas area and who is developing it? **A:** It is a plot in the Poltava region that, according to AGKU data, was purchased at an open electronic auction in 2021 for 90 million UAH. Development is carried out by the company "Horizons" of the Zakhidna Drahservice Group in partnership with the Czech MND. ### Q: What gas extraction results does the association cite for the period of the war? **A:** According to AGKU's estimate, Zakhidna Drahservice and MND Ukraine discovered 5 deposits, drilled 97 wells, extracted 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas and built 6 gas processing units; total investments exceeded $394 million, and taxes paid amounted to 16.7 billion hryvnias. ### Q: Has the blocking of development been confirmed by independent sources? **A:** No. In the provided materials, the information about the blocking and its causes is based on the AGKU statement; there is no independent confirmation of the very fact of the halt of work and the participants' motivation in verified sources.