Ukraine has carried out a drone attack on the Druzhba oil pipeline system in Russia - a strategic energy transport route for many European Union (EU) countries. Budapest warned that this action directly threatened Hungary's energy security.
Druzhba - Russian for Friendship - is one of the worlds longest oil pipeline network, stretching about 4,000km from Russia and Kazakhstan to refineries in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. This pipeline plays a vital role, ensuring a stable supply of crude oil for many European economies.
On social network X on August 13, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote: "Last night, Ukraine launched a drone attack on a key distribution station of the Druzhba pipeline system in the Bryansk region, Russia".
According to Russian media, many Ukrainian drones attacked Bryansk on the night of August 12, causing fires at many facilities, including the Unecha pumping station - an important link connecting Russia with the EU via the Druzhba pipeline. The Ukrainian General Staff later confirmed the attack on Facebook. Russia has not yet made an official comment.
Foreign Minister Szijjarto called it an un Acceptable move, stressing that the Druzhba pipeline is particularly important for Hungary as much of the countrys oil imports are transported there. He also reiterated that Hungary is currently the number one electricity supplier to Ukraine and that without it, Kievs energy security would very uncertain.
He called on the Ukrainian government to stop military operations that could disrupt Hungary's energy supply, stressing: "We Hungarians have nothing to do with this war."
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russia's energy infrastructure over the past several months, including the Druzhba system. In March, the General Staff of Ukraine also confirmed that it had attacked the pipeline.
Previously, in January, Ukrainian forces also sought to attack the gas compression station of the TurkStream pipeline - a route that supplies Russian gas to Turkey and many European countries, including Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Greece.
Russia has repeatedly condemned Ukraine's attacks on civil energy infrastructure, calling them a "terrorist act" and warning of unpredictable consequences for energy security in the region.
