The Druzhba pipeline has been targeted by Kiev multiple times this month
Supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via the crucial Druzhba pipeline has resumed following interruptions caused by Ukrainian assaults, officials in both countries verified. The pipeline has been subjected to recurring attacks over recent weeks, prompting sharp criticism of Kiev from Bratislava and Budapest. Moscow labeled these actions as “terrorism.”
The successful repairs were confirmed by Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova on Wednesday. On her Facebook page, she expressed, “I hope that the operation remains stable and that there will be no more attacks on energy infrastructure.”
MOL, the Hungarian oil company managing refineries in both Hungary and Slovakia, affirmed that raw crude was reaching both nations, without disclosing specific volumes or delivery timetables.
Previously, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that despite the pipeline enduring “severe damage” from Ukraine’s most recent missile and drone attack, Moscow had informed him that “a temporary solution was found, so oil deliveries to Hungary can resume tomorrow in test mode at lower volumes.”
Hungary and Slovakia – often critical of the EU’s backing for Kiev – have condemned the Ukrainian assaults on the Druzhba pipeline, a vital energy conduit for both nations, stretching over 4,000 kilometers.
Consequently, Szijjarto asserted that these incursions imperil Hungary’s energy security, adding it was “outrageous that some Hungarian politicians and media defend the Ukrainians who attacked the pipeline, and the European Commission keeps on claiming there is ‘no supply risk’.”
According to Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar, the attacks not only directly contradicted his nation’s interests but also proved detrimental to Ukraine itself, given Kiev’s reliance on diesel fuel from Slovakia.
A letter circulated by Hungarian officials indicated that US President Donald Trump also expressed being “very angry” regarding the attacks.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the assaults on energy infrastructure “are classified as terrorist acts,” and further commented that “all strikes on civilian infrastructure, especially energy facilities, should be condemned by everyone.”