Druzhba pipeline oil deliveries suspended due to drone strike 🔄
Budapest, March 11 (MTI) – Oil deliveries to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline have had to be suspended due to a Ukrainian drone strike on one of the pipeline’s measuring stations, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday, adding that repairs to the pipeline were under way and oil transit could resume later today.
Szijjártó said he has spoken to Russia’s deputy prime minister in charge of energy affairs, who told him that oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline have had to be temporarily halted due to a Ukrainian strike. Repairs are underway, and deliveries could resume late in the afternoon or early evening, he said, according to a ministry statement. “If the Druzhba oil pipeline is rendered inoperable, then it practically becomes physically impossible to supply oil to Hungary and Slovakia,” Szijjártó warned, adding that attacks on Hungary’s energy infrastructure were “unacceptable”.
“We have made this position clear in Brussels on multiple occasions, and the European Commission guaranteed that there would be no attacks on the infrastructure supplying energy to Hungary,” he said. “Unfortunately this isn’t the first time for the European Commission’s guarantee to be violated.”
“We call on the Ukrainians not to attack the infrastructure supplying energy to Hungary,” he said.
Szijjártó said Hungary bore no blame for the war and would continue to stay out of the conflict. “And Hungary’s energy supply is a matter of sovereignty, and we expect everyone to respect that,” he added. “It is clear that peace is needed as soon as possible, because the sooner there is peace, the sooner these attacks will stop and the sooner we will be able to fully secure the infrastructure supplying energy to Hungary,” the minister said. “Therefore we hope that President Trump’s peace efforts this week will be successful,” Szijjártó added.
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UPDATE
Russia’s First Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin later informed Szijjártó that the Russian operator had repaired the damage and restarted transits on the Druzhba pipeline towards Hungary.
Do no recall Mr. Szijjártó ever labeling Russian attacks on anything “unacceptable”. Which sort of sums up his position. Happy to stand corrected!
Szijjarto already said that those attacks are unacceptable,.unprovoked and bla bla bla but when russia attack civilians infrastructre in Ukraine and dozen dies he is so calm, is not he following the same MAGA speach about saving lives in that war? Weird hungarian mindset
Russia will fix the pipeline, presently Hungary has enough supply. Russia is a reliable supplier of energy. Ukraine is doing everything to stop Hungary’s energy supply. Ukraine is a true enemy of Hungary.
Russian forces have persistently targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the ongoing conflict, aiming to disrupt power supplies and weaken civilian morale.
Notable incidents include:
March 22, 2024: A widespread missile assault damaged critical energy facilities across Ukraine. In Kharkiv, over 15 strikes left the city without electricity and water. The Zmiivska thermal power plant was nearly destroyed, and the Kharkiv TEC-5 ceased operations due to severe damage.
August 26, 2024: Russia conducted extensive missile and drone attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Odesa. These strikes targeted energy and water infrastructure, resulting in significant disruptions and civilian casualties.
November 17, 2024: A massive air attack targeted Ukraine’s energy grid, with approximately 120 missiles and 90 drones launched. The strikes affected critical infrastructure in regions such as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Rivne, leading to power outages and civilian casualties.
April 11, 2024: Russian strikes destroyed the Trypilska thermal power plant in Kyiv Oblast during an overnight attack, further compromising Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
In response to these ongoing attacks and the resultant decrease in domestic gas production, Ukraine plans to import significant amounts of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG). These imports will be facilitated through terminals in Germany, Greece, Lithuania, and Poland, aiming to bolster Ukraine’s energy security and deter further Russian
Additionally, the United States and Ukraine have agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S., calling for an end to missile, drone, and bomb attacks. This agreement includes a crucial deal on rare earth minerals, signifying a long-term partnership. President Trump expressed hopes that Russia would join the ceasefire, which seeks to halt hostilities along the entire front line and particularly in the Black Sea.
Mr. Szijjártó, in war anything can happen. Do we remember Ukraine was accused of sabotaging the North Sea Gas pipeline? who was at the end ? Mr. Szijjártó,
you well know that Adriatic pipeline is the alternative to move out of Russian crude. You complained it was too expensive, but then you build a pipeline to Serbia to move Russian crude there. What is your real plan? Hungary wakes up please