NSDC Meeting: Free Gas Supply to Moldova, Oligarch Sabotage of Ukraine's Energy Balance, and 350,000 Vaccinations per Day

Danilov also instructed the Cabinet to resolve the issue of gas supply to the population and heating utilities.

On the evening of October 22, another meeting of the National Security and Defense Council was held, focused on Ukraine's energy problems on the eve of the heating season.

We bring you the main details following the briefing by NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov.

"No Right to Disconnection"

At the meeting, the NSDC instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to consumers. 

Oleksiy Danilov
NSDC Secretary

The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to take comprehensive measures within three days to establish a mechanism for uninterrupted gas supply, without the right to disconnect, to household consumers, budget and religious organizations, heat supply enterprises, and non-profit utility companies until the end of the heating season.

The NSDC Secretary stressed that "everything must work in automatic mode, not in firefighting mode, as is happening now".

Oligarch Sabotage

Danilov also said that the meeting reviewed the country's preparations for the heating season and concluded that there is "a certain sabotage of the implementation of decisions specifically in terms of creating a complete energy balance for Ukraine".

According to the NSDC Secretary, this refers to "a certain circle of people who are popularly called oligarchs".

Ukraine to Lend Gas to Moldova for a Time

Ukraine will provide the necessary amount of gas to Moldova free of charge for a certain period, so that Moldova later returns it.

Danilov said that Moldova is currently going through a difficult period due to a shortage of natural gas. Ukraine is ready to help its neighbor.

Oleksiy Danilov
NSDC Secretary

We believe we can afford to do this, and we are saying that we will supply this gas not for money. This gas will be transferred for a certain period so that Moldova returns this gas to us later.

He also said that Ukraine is interested in Moldova having gas, since they are connected in a single system: "We have a certain territory that is supplied from the territory of Moldova, so we must help our friends, our neighbors," the NSDC head stressed.

Meanwhile, today, October 22, the Republic of Moldova declared a state of emergency due to a gas shortage.

Extension of School Autumn Holidays

The NSDC recommends that schools extend holidays after October 25.

"We believe that all schools should be sent on holiday from Monday, except for grades 1-4," Danilov said.

He added that the NSDC previously appealed to the Ministry of Education regarding the start of distance learning at universities from Monday, October 25.

Additional Transit Capacity of the GTS

Ukraine will offer the European Union additional transit capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas.

Oleksiy Danilov

We have a contract to transport 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and today we can offer our European friends additional volumes of 55 billion cubic meters of gas on top of this contract.

Danilov added that the NSDC instructed the Cabinet of Ministers, together with the National Joint Stock Company "Naftogaz of Ukraine" and the state enterprise "Operator of the Ukrainian GTS", to determine special conditions for transporting additional volumes of natural gas through Ukraine's GTS to the European Union in volumes of no less than 55 billion cubic meters of gas.

350,000 Vaccinations per Day

According to Danilov, the number of people who may die from coronavirus could exceed one thousand per day. 

He also noted that 99.9% of people who go to the cemetery after complications from coronavirus are unvaccinated.

Oleksiy Danilov

If our country does not reach 350,000-400,000 vaccinated people per day, we will have a big problem. For our part, we are doing everything possible.

Danilov noted that Health Minister Viktor Liashko must complete the vaccination program by the New Year, and for this it is necessary to increase the daily number of vaccinated people.

Communication with Government Bodies at Checkpoints 

At the NSDC meeting, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine was instructed to open points for communication with all government authorities, including the president, at the checkpoints in Donbas and Crimea.

According to NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov, one of the issues discussed at the NSDC meeting on Friday was ensuring the constitutional rights of people living in temporarily occupied territories who cross the line of demarcation at entry-exit checkpoints (EECPs), regarding their communication with representatives of Ukraine's central and local authorities.

Oleksiy Danilov

A decision was made to instruct the Ministry of Digital Transformation within two weeks to develop technical specifications for such a product. And in two weeks, when such a tool is considered at an NSDC meeting, it will be implemented in the near future so that people have the opportunity to communicate directly with all government bodies in our country, in particular with the president.