Hungary, Slovakia fear oil cuts after Ukrainian attack on Russian pipeline

Officials pass Ukraine’s onslaught connected Unecha lipid pumping presumption risks halting supplies for astatine slightest 5 days.

Hungary and Slovakia person raised the alarm implicit imaginable substance shortages aft a Ukrainian onslaught connected Russia’s Druzhba pipeline, saying deliveries could beryllium suspended for respective days.

On Friday, officials from some countries warned that the onslaught connected the Unecha lipid pumping station, a cardinal hub successful occidental Russia, risked halting supplies for astatine slightest 5 days. The Soviet-era pipeline, which runs done Belarus and Ukraine, is simply a important way for Russian lipid to scope Central Europe.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar wrote a associated missive to the European Commission urging Brussels to measurement successful and warrant unafraid vigor flows. “The carnal and geographical world is that without this pipeline, the harmless proviso of our countries is simply not possible,” they wrote.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban besides made the onslaught a governmental issue, releasing a missive helium had sent to US President Donald Trump.

In it, Orban said Ukraine had attacked Druzhba conscionable days earlier Trump’s August 15 gathering with Russian President Vladimir Putin successful Alaska, calling the determination a “very unfortunate” escalation.

A transcript of the missive posted connected Facebook appeared to see Trump’s handwritten response: “Viktor, I bash not similar proceeding this, I americium precise aggravated astir it.” The White House has not commented.

‘Energy security’

Ukraine’s subject confirmed precocious connected Thursday that it had struck the Unecha facility, describing it arsenic a captious node successful Russia’s export system.

Robert Brovdi, commandant of Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces, posted a video connected Telegram showing a ample blaze astatine an lipid depot, though the determination could not beryllium independently verified.

The onslaught was the 2nd this week to disrupt lipid deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia, pursuing different halt earlier connected Monday and Tuesday. Russian officials said the Unecha occurrence had been extinguished, but admitted flows could beryllium disrupted for respective days.

The European Union, which reduced its reliance connected Russian vigor aft the 2022 invasion, has pledged to signifier retired Moscow’s lipid and state wholly by 2027. But Hungary and Slovakia person resisted specified moves, keeping adjacent ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and blocking immoderate sanctions packages that Kyiv insists are indispensable to unit Moscow.

Germany and Kazakhstan, which besides usage the Druzhba pipeline, reported their supplies remained unaffected. Berlin said deliveries to the PCK Schwedt refinery, which supplies substance to the capital, were secure, portion Kazakhstan confirmed its lipid flows had not been disrupted.

Despite EU concern successful Croatian infrastructure meant to supply alternatives, some Hungary and Slovakia accidental Russian vigor remains indispensable. “This is different onslaught against our vigor security,” Szijjarto wrote connected Facebook.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies