Latest news with #Druzhba pipeline
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU state hints at cutting off power supply to Ukraine
Hungary could cut off power supply to Ukraine in response to a recent attack on a pipeline carrying Russian oil to the EU state, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has suggested. Unlike most EU countries, Budapest has refused to provide military aid to Kiev, and has been a vocal critic of the bloc's sanctions against Russia. Hungary's relations with Ukraine have been steadily deteriorating in recent years, with Budapest accusing Kiev of discriminating against the Hungarian ethnic minority in Western Ukraine. In a post on X on Monday, Szijjarto stated that while 'Russia has supplied oil to Hungary for decades via the Druzhba pipeline,' Ukraine 'attacks this pipeline, and because of these Ukrainian strikes, oil supplies to Hungary are repeatedly cut off.' The diplomat stressed that Kiev's actions go directly against his country's national interests. Szijjarto went on to warn Kiev that a 'significant part of Ukraine's electricity comes from Hungary…' The remark came in response to a statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga. In an X post earlier on Monday, Sibiga wrote that 'Hungary has made every effort to maintain its reliance on Russia,' even after the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022, and despite being 'told for years that Moscow is an unreliable partner.' 'You can now send your complaints – and threats – to your friends in Moscow,' Sibiga told Szijjarto. In an earlier message, the Hungarian official claimed that the 'outrageous and unacceptable' Ukrainian attack on the conduit was part of concerted efforts by Kiev and Brussels to 'drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine.' The previous attack on Druzhba happened as recently as last week. Druzhba is one of the world's longest networks, transporting crude some 4,000km (2,485 miles) from Russia and Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Commenting on the latest attack on the pipeline, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested that the current Ukrainian leadership poses a threat to all neighboring nations, with Moscow having repeatedly warned about that since the 2014 Western-backed Maidan coup.
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Ukrainian attack halts Russian crude oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia
Russian crude oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline were halted on Monday, officials in Hungary and Slovakia said, with Budapest blaming a Ukrainian attack on a transformer station. Unlike most other EU countries, Hungary has kept up its reliance on Russian energy since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. It imports most of its crude via the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and also Slovakia. Szijjarto wrote on Facebook that he had talked to Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin who told him that experts were working to restore the transformer station, but it was unclear when deliveries would resume. "This latest strike against our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable," Szijjarto wrote. He did not say when or where the attack took place. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha neither confirmed nor denied the account of the attack, but wrote on X that Hungary "can now send complaints" to Moscow, not Kyiv. "It is Russia, not Ukraine, who began this war and refuses to end it. Hungary has been told for years that Moscow is an unreliable partner. Despite this, Hungary has made every effort to maintain its reliance on Russia," Sybiha wrote. Slovak pipeline operator Transpetrol confirmed that the supply of oil to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline had stopped. "Our company does not know more information about the reason for the suspension, which is outside the territory of the Slovak Republic. Oil transportation through Slovak territory is ensured and carried out in accordance with the pumping plan," the company said. Ukraine's defence ministry and armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hungarian oil company MOL said on Monday that regional supply of oil remains guaranteed. "Technical restoration is underway, after which crude oil deliveries will resume," the company said in an emailed statement. "Security of supply for the region remains guaranteed." Last year Szijjarto said the Druzhba pipeline would remain Hungary's primary route for crude oil imports. Monday's suspension of oil deliveries comes after a temporary halt last week when Ukraine 's military said on August 13 that its drones had hit the Uniecha oil pumping station in Russia's Bryansk region.
