Ukraine blamed for disruption of Russian oil pipeline to Hungary, Slovakia

Crude oil flows from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia via the critical Druzhba pipeline were abruptly halted on Monday, following what Hungarian officials claim was a Ukrainian attack on part of the pipeline infrastructure.

The disruption, confirmed by both Hungarian and Slovak authorities, is the latest in a series of Ukrainian strikes targeting Russia’s energy assets.

This strategic move is aimed at undermining one of Moscow’s primary revenue streams amid the ongoing war.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, described the attack as an “outrageous and unacceptable strike against our energy security”.

He said he had spoken with Russian Deputy Energy Minister, Pavel Sorokin, who confirmed that efforts were underway to restore the damaged transformer station.

However, no timeline was provided for when deliveries might resume.

Slovakia’s pipeline operator, Transpetrol, also reported a complete stop in oil flows. It stated that domestic transport systems remained functional and that the issue originated outside Slovak territory.

While Ukrainian officials did not directly confirm responsibility, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Hungary can now send complaints to Moscow, not Kyiv”, hinting at Ukraine’s stance that Russia’s invasion is the root cause of such disruptions.

He added: “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.”

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry has not officially commented.

The Druzhba, or “Friendship”, pipeline, built during the Soviet era, remains a lifeline for Hungary. Unlike many other EU states, Hungary continues to rely heavily on Russian oil.

According to Russian data, 4.78 million metric tonnes of crude were delivered to Hungary via Druzhba in 2024.

The timing of the disruption is especially significant, coming on the same day that US President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Washington, where peace negotiations are expected to be a central focus.

Monday’s halt also follows a previous attack in March on a Druzhba metering station, and comes just days after Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk region on 13 August. Despite the pipeline halt, Hungarian oil company MOL has assured that regional oil supply remains guaranteed and that technical restoration is underway.