Russian oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline resumed on Thursday, a week after Ukrainian attacks on a pumping station in western Russia disrupted shipments, authorities in both countries said.
Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Denisa Saková confirmed in a Facebook post that supplies to her country had been restored.
“I hope the operation will remain stable and there will be no more attacks on energy infrastructure,” Saková wrote.
Hungarian oil company MOL also confirmed in a statement emailed to Reuters that oil was once again flowing.
Earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said crude deliveries to Hungary would restart “in test mode with smaller quantities,” while urging Ukraine to halt strikes on the pipeline.
Ukraine said it targeted the Unecha pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk region last week. Authorities in the Bryansk region said drone and missile strikes set fire to a fuel facility that was extinguished hours later.
Hungary and Slovakia issued a joint statement last Friday calling on the European Commission to pressure Ukraine to stop attacks on Druzhba.
The pipeline is exempt from the EU’s ban on most Russian oil imports imposed after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Kyiv has stepped up strikes on Russian refineries and fuel infrastructure this year, contributing to record-high wholesale gasoline prices inside Russia.
On Thursday, Szijjártó said Hungary had banned entry to the commander of the Ukrainian unit behind the Druzhba pipeline strike.
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