Fire-Inflicted Halt: The Druzhba Pipeline Crisis

The Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline has been severely damaged by a fire resulting from a Russian attack in January. This has triggered a halt in Russian oil supply to Hungary and Slovakia, sparking an EU dispute and leading Hungary to block new sanctions against Moscow.

The Ukrainian section of the Druzhba oil pipeline, a critical conduit for Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, suffered severe damage due to a fire from a Russian strike in late January, confirmed Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal to Interfax Ukraine on Tuesday.

Oil flow, predominantly managed by Russia, has been suspended since January 27 following what Kyiv describes as a Russian offensive on pumping stations in western Ukraine. This event has ignited an EU controversy, with Hungary attempting to impede new sanctions on Moscow. 'The oil pipeline's internal equipment, including various sensors, has been impaired by the fire,' Shmyhal reported to Interfax.

Meanwhile, Reuters has been unable to ascertain the extent of the damage. Compounding tensions, Hungary has accused Ukraine of interfering in its April elections and has obstructed a planned 90 billion euro EU loan to Kyiv.

'The damage to the Druzhba pipeline isn't apparent externally,' Shmyhal indicated, noting that estimated repair costs and timelines will be determined after thorough inspections. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is anticipated to address the pipeline issues in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to a Commission spokesperson.

Conversely, Moscow accuses Kyiv of jeopardizing Europe's energy security by halting the flow of Russian oil through the pipeline. According to Kyiv-based oil consultancy ExPro, 2025 shipments through the route had plummeted to a decade-low of 9.7 million tons.

ExPro further detailed that Slovakia's oil receipts stood at 4.9 million tons, while Hungary received 4.35 million tons.