President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy extended his greetings to the employees of Ukraine’s oil, gas, and refining sectors on their professional holiday, expressing gratitude for their daily dedication and significant contribution to ensuring the stable operation of the country’s fuel and energy complex under martial law conditions.
The President emphasized that the resilience of the Ukrainian state would not have been possible without the courage and commitment of oil and gas industry workers.
“Ukraine produces its own gas. Transportation and storage are all in place. For several winters, we have helped our neighbors, including Moldova, which is significant. Despite all threats and Russian attacks, Ukraine has found ways to secure its fuel needs. Russia bet on a fuel crisis in Ukraine, but now it is facing a gasoline shortage itself,” President Zelenskiy noted.
He stressed that every winter of this war, Russia has tried to use electricity and heating disruptions as a weapon against Ukrainians. Ukraine has endured these winters thanks to everyone who restores energy supply under constant threat.
The President urged everyone to remember the high price paid to sustain energy supply during the war. Many workers of the oil and gas industry have been injured as a result of Russian attacks, and there have been casualties from Shahed drones and missile strikes. Attendees honored their memory with a moment of silence.
President Zelenskyy posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage” III class to the relatives of Mykhailo Karetnyi, a machine operator at the Kherson Thermal Power Plant, and Yevhen Petryk, a fitter at the Shebelynka gas production branch of PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannya.
He also presented the Orders “For Merit” III class, “For Courage” III class, the Order of Princess Olga III class, and the Medal “For Labor and Valor” to employees of Naftogaz Group companies, the Operator of the Gas Transmission System of Ukraine, and private sector enterprises.
