In the first quarter of 2025, JSC Ukrgazvydobuvannya, a key enterprise in the structure of the Naftogaz Group, loudly reported a record of 107,136 meters of drilled wells. In March, the company drilled more than 41 thousand meters, significantly exceeding even the planned indicators. This is presented as a step towards Ukraine's energy independence. But behind the official victorious reports lies a much bleaker reality.
Today, Naftogaz Group is no longer just an energy holding, but a shadow state within a state. Management of hundreds of billions of hryvnias takes place behind closed doors, where the main decisions are made not by managers, but by individuals close to the political elite. Reports are a formality. Transparency is an illusion. And corporate ethics have remained only on paper.
The corporate governance reforms that the state announced with great pomp have in reality turned into a simulation of change. The system of circular guarantees, closed tenders, and schemes has not only been preserved, but has also become even more sophisticated. And from the central government – silence. At best. At worst – complicity in abuses.
A separate topic is environmental responsibility. Against the backdrop of record drilling figures, the most dangerous thing remains ignored - the disposal of toxic drilling waste. Dangerous sludge is often not processed, as required by law, but is dumped on open areas of land, in reservoirs, near settlements. This poisons the soil, water, nature and human health.
Despite the public outcry, the Naftogaz leadership avoids responsibility. And even when it finds itself at the center of high-profile journalistic investigations, anti-corruption agencies either delay cases or face political obstacles. In fact, the system is built to prevent real control.
While the country hears about "strategic achievements" and "victories on the energy front," facts are being hidden that pose a direct threat to the environment, economy, and security of citizens. And until the state changes the principles of managing the oil and gas industry, no drilling record will mean real progress.
