The Friendship oil pipeline has been attacked
It was the fifth Ukrainian attack on the pipeline which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, according to Reuters calculations.
Ukraine's Pravda reported that the explosive device had been detonated remotely and contained additional materials to intensify the fire. Videos of the explosion appeared on local social media sites. Local residents in the Kazynskiye Vyselki area reported hearing a loud bang accompanied by bright flashes in the sky.
UPDATE:
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded to the development on Facebook, writing:
I have consulted with Mol executives. Despite the Ukrainian attack, the Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary is operating without disruption. Hungary's oil supply is secure.
Not the first strike
It was the fifth Ukrainian attack on the pipeline which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, according to Reuters calculations.
The last time we reported on a similar incident was at the end of September, when Ukrainian drones damaged an oil pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline in Chuvashia, Russia, near the Volga River. The damage caused was minimal.
What should you know about the pipeline?
In 2024, Ukraine transported around 11.36 million tonnes of Russian crude oil via the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. This was the lowest annual volume since at least 2014 and probably since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.
However, Hungary (via Mol) received the largest volume of Russian crude oil of the three countries, at 4.8 million tonnes, via Ukraine.
While the Czech Republic has essentially weaned itself off Russian crude oil, Hungary's exposure to Russian crude oil has significantly increased compared to before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to a joint study by CREA and CSD, this figure rose from 61% to 86% by 2024.
Cover photo: Portfolio
