The coal deficit for the needs of Ukraine by the end of this year will be 5 million tonnes, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Hroisman has said in Kyiv.

"We have a shortage of coal by the end of the current year of an amount of up to 5 million tonnes. The Energy and Coal Industry Ministry is now engaged in contracting, there are preliminary agreements, under which deliveries are being started," he said.

Hroisman also noted that for the normal passage of the heating season Ukraine also lacks 5 billion cubic meters of gas, and to solve this problem the government plans to implement all possible measures to save gas.

As reported, Ukraine signed an agreement for the supply of one million tonnes of coal from the Republic of South Africa.