KYIV, March 3 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was severely damaged by fire after a Russian attack, Ukraine's energy
Druzhba pipeline damaged by fire after January Russian strike, says report
Impact and Aftermath of the Druzhba Pipeline Attack
Details of the Incident
KYIV, March 3 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was severely damaged by fire after a Russian attack in late January, Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal told Interfax Ukraine on Tuesday.
Oil flows through the pipeline mainly operated by Russia have been suspended since January 27 after what Kyiv said was a Russian attack on pumping facilities in western Ukraine, triggering an EU dispute and prompting Hungary to try to block new sanctions on Moscow.
Extent of the Damage
"Most of the internal equipment of the oil pipeline, various sensors and other equipment inside the oil pipeline were damaged by temperature conditions," Shmyhal told news agency Interfax.
Reuters could not verify the level of damages.
Political and Economic Repercussions
Hungary's Response and EU Tensions
Hungary has also accused Ukraine of meddling in its April elections and has blocked a 90 billion euro EU loan to Kyiv.
Repair and Investigation Efforts
"This (Druzhba pipeline) damage is not visible from the outside," Shmyhal told Interfax Ukraine, adding that the repair costs and time it will take will be calculated once the defects have been examined.
International Reactions
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is likely to discuss the Druzhba pipeline problems in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, a European Commission spokesperson said.
Moscow has accused Kyiv of threatening Europe's energy security by stopping Russian oil flowing through the pipeline.
Oil Transit Statistics
Transit through the route in 2025 hit a 10-year low of 9.7 million tons, Kyiv-based oil consultancy ExPro said.
ExPro said Slovakia received 4.9 million tons of oil, while shipments to Hungary were 4.35 million tons.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by David Goodman and Nivedita Bhattacharjee)
