The southern fuel-import route currently holds no interest for the ZPEK group of companies due to the negative profitability of sales. This was stated by the group's CEO and co-owner, Oleg Chykyda, at the Petroleum Ukraine Warsaw'26 conference.
According to the company's head, the southern market differs significantly from the western one, where ZPEK traditionally operates.
"The south is a completely different market compared to the west. My calculations show losses on this route. The company has the financial resources to enter the south, but sees no point in it," the CEO of ZPEK noted.
Oleg Chykyda (left), CEO of ZPEK, during the discussion panel at Petroleum Ukraine Warsaw'26
Oleg Chykyda voiced his position during the discussion panel "A Hellish Year: How to Operate Amid a Permanent Crisis?". Its participants agreed that the diversification of supply sources remains a key factor in the resilience of Ukraine's fuel market: it was precisely the extensive import system that allowed the country to avoid a shortage — both after the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 and during the escalation in the Middle East in May 2026.
According to the A-95 Consulting Group, last year the ratio of supply routes for diesel fuel stood at 52% to 48% in favour of the west. Over the first five months of 2026, the western border provided 62% of imports (1.61 million tonnes of diesel fuel), while the south accounted for 38% (971 thousand tonnes).
Oleg Chykyda is the CEO and co-owner of the ZPEK group of companies, one of the leading importers of diesel fuel in Ukraine. ZPEK was one of the key participants of the Petroleum Ukraine Warsaw'26 forum and opened its programme.
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