Oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline from Russia to Hungary are halted due to a Ukrainian drone attack on a metering station on Russian territory, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on March 11 on Facebook.
The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world's largest with a capacity of 2 million barrels per day (bpd), is a critical conduit for oil from Russian fields to European refineries. Hungary imports most of its crude oil via the Druzhba pipeline.
Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the Druzhba pipeline in Russia's Oryol Oblast on March 11. Following the attack, Szijjarto said that the oil supply was halted.
"Due to the drone attack last night, crude shipments had to be suspended on the Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary," Szijjarto said.
"I have just talked to the energy minister of Russia, who told me that due to the attack, shipments are not possible now, but works are underway, and if nothing extraordinary happens, then late afternoon or in the early evening, crude shipments to Hungary can resume," he added.
The foreign minister called Ukraine to refrain from attacking the energy infrastructure supplying Hungary, as "Hungary's energy supply is a matter of sovereignty."
The EU has largely phased out Russian oil imports following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
However, the Druzhba pipeline's southern branch remains active under exemptions for certain Central European countries.
The northern branch primarily transports Kazakh crude oil to Germany via Poland's Gdansk port, as Poland ceased importing Russian pipeline oil in early 2023.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
