UKRNAFTA Secures First Loan for Diesel Import from the USA in 2026 to Supply Farmers

In 2026, the largest gas station network in Ukraine, UKRNAFTA, made a significant step in ensuring fuel supply for farmers by doubling its fuel procurement volumes compared to the previous year. This was announced by the company's chairman, Bohdan Kukura, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. He emphasized that the main goal of this decision was to guarantee stability in the domestic market during a crucial agricultural season.

"We have received our first deliveries of diesel from the United States. The government's task was to ensure the domestic market was supplied to avoid shortages. We are fulfilling this: considering the season and increased demand, we have purchased fuel twice as much as before. There will be no shortage. We are fully contracted, and we do not foresee any problems at all for April," Kukura stated.

A significant innovation for UKRNAFTA has been the introduction of post-import financing, which allowed the company to secure a loan for fuel imports for the first time in its history. According to Kukura, the first batches of American diesel were purchased using credit lines provided by state banks Ukrgasbank and Oschadbank. The top manager noted that this mechanism, although it has only been operational for about a month, has already demonstrated its effectiveness in ensuring the country's energy security.

Kukura also discussed changes in contracts, noting that in the context of market volatility, the company has abandoned fixed-price contracts as they have become unprofitable for suppliers due to the inability to predict risks. Currently, cooperation with clients is based solely on a "contract formula" that ties prices to global quotations from Platts or Argus.

The chairman of UKRNAFTA also commented on the company's sales structure, indicating that the share of retail customers (B2C) accounts for about 50-70%, while the corporate segment (B2B cards and vouchers) occupies 30-50%. He clarified that farmers typically purchase fuel through small wholesale, highlighting their dependence on stable fuel supply.

Kukura reassured that thanks to strategic reserves and new logistics, the company sees no reason for panic. UKRNAFTA is actively collaborating with banks to create "effective cases for market supply," allowing Ukrainian businesses to be confident in the availability of fuel at gas stations.

According to previously released data, by the end of 2025, UKRNAFTA increased its fuel sales in the B2B segment to 391.6 million liters, which is 61.7% more than the previous year and nearly eight times the result of 2023. The number of active corporate clients during this period tripled to 9,700 companies. Over three years, the company has doubled the average daily fuel sales per gas station, and the average check in the network's stores has tripled to 180 hryvnias.

UKRNAFTA is one of the largest gas station networks in Ukraine, comprising about 700 facilities and ranking among the top three in fuel sales volumes. The network includes assets from the companies Glusko (85 gas stations) and Shell (118 gas stations). Additionally, under the UKRNAFTA brand, 21 complexes of the company Ukrgazvydobuvannya (U.Go) operate on a franchising basis, underscoring the company's importance in the fuel services market in Ukraine.