Hungary is again left without Russian oil due to the attack on the Druzhba pipeline
22 August 15:15
For the second time in a week, Hungary has lost access to Russian oil due to another drone attack on the Druzhba pipeline.
According to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, the supply of crude oil was suspended after a strike on a section of the pipeline on the Russian-Belarusian border, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to Szijjarto, this is the third attack on Druzhba in a short period of time, and he called it “another attempt to drag Hungary into the war” and “a blow to the country’s energy security.” The minister also said that Hungary would continue to “defend national interests with all its might” and support efforts to establish peace.
Attacks on the oil pipeline
The commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Robert Brovdi (call sign “Magyar”), confirmed that Ukrainian drones attacked the Unecha oil pumping station, which is a key node in the Druzhba system. He also released a video of the fire that broke out after the strike.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian drones attacked another station, Nikolskoye, in the Tambov region of Russia. Both attacks resulted in a temporary suspension of oil pumping to Hungary and Slovakia.
Energy Tensions
After the previous attack, Siyarto threatened to stop selling electricity to Ukraine, but oil supplies were quickly resumed after repairs were made. It is not yet known how long it will take to resume pumping after the latest attack.
Context
The Druzhba oil pipeline is one of the largest in the world, transporting Russian oil to Central and Eastern Europe. Its vulnerability to drone attacks has become a new challenge for the region’s energy stability, especially for countries that still depend on Russian energy.
