Kinstellar's well-established Energy & Natural Resources service line has been involved in many of the most significant energy deals across the region and specifically in Ukraine. Our experts deliver industry-specific knowledge to a diverse range of clients including power plant developers and operators, EPC contractors, multinational energy holding companies, energy traders, project companies and consortia, lenders and governments.

The service line in Ukraine is comprised of three partners and other seasoned lawyers, who have unparalleled expertise in the energy, natural resources and project development sectors. Our work encompasses regulatory reform, privatisation projects, and other key projects in both the conventional and renewable energy sectors.

According to the available data, about 23 GW of Ukrainian power generation capacity has been destroyed. Prior to the 2022 invasion, Ukraine was a net exporter of electricity. Currently, it is able to produce about 15 GW, while the minimum daily demand is about 19 GW.

Given the extent of the damage caused, the need to reconstruct the energy sector, and to reduce its vulnerability to future missile and drone attacks, we have identified the following priority areas for investment:

• the development of all possible renewable energy sources (RES) on a priority basis, taking into account the specifics of Ukraine, with a special emphasis on: biogas; biofuels; wind energy; solar energy; hydrogen energy;
• the decentralization of power generation through the large-scale construction of mini- and micro-power plants, in particular: • small modular nuclear reactors; • small- and medium-sized fossil fuel cogeneration plants; • mini- and micro-hydroelectric power plants;
• completing the construction and/or the expansion of existing nuclear power plants;
• the creation of distributed systems for the accumulation and storage of electric power;
• the reconstruction of power grids and the construction of smart grids;
• the expansion and further development of energy bridges with European countries;
• reconstructing and increasing oil and gas production capacities;
• reconstructing the Ukrainian oil refining industry;
• reconstructing Ukrainian oil and gas transportation facilities;
• reconstructing and expanding Ukrainian underground natural gas storage facilities;
• the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants.

Despite a full-scale war and continued Russian missile strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy announced that by 2050 the country has the potential to increase the following capacities in the energy sector:

• wind generation capacity to 140 GW;
• solar generation capacity to 94 GW;
• energy storage to 38 GW;
• nuclear generation to 30 GW;
• CHP and bioenergy capacity to 18 GW;
• hydro generation to 9 GW.

Olena Kuchynska is the Managing Partner at Kinstellar’s Kyiv office.

With over 20 years of professional legal experience with a special focus on projects in energy and mining, Olena has historically led and developed the Energy & Natural Resources services in the Ukraine office of Kinstellar. She regularly advises clients – state and private energy / oil & gas companies, international traders, foreign investors, investment funds and local developers – on the Ukrainian energy regulatory system and specific regulatory issues, i.e. licensing, tariffs, public tenders, and corporate structuring. She also advises on all aspects of the renewable energy projects in Ukraine, including development and investment related matters. In addition, has extensive experience in drafting legislation and policy advocacy.

Olena was recommended as Leading Partner by Legal 500 in Commercial, Corporate, M&A in Ukraine in 2025 and in Energy in 2022; Highly Regarded by IFLR1000 2024 for M&A, Restructuring and Energy in Ukraine; Band 3 by Chambers Global/Europe 2025 for Corporate and M&A in Ukraine; and Notable Practitioner in Corporate and M&A, Energy & Natural Resources by Ukrainian law Firms – A Handbook for Foreign Clients in 2024, 2025.