In recent weeks, Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, targeting Ukraine's heating energy supply, Russia's Druzhba oil pipeline and other facilities.
The European Union has reduced oil and gas supplies from Russia after the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022. However, EU members Slovakia and Hungary still maintain energy ties, opposing Russian sanctions. Slovakia and Hungary also opposed the gradual elimination of Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline.
On August 22, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban issued a letter to US President Donald Trump, saying that Ukraine had attacked the Druzhba pipeline just days before US President and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Alaska on August 15. Mr. Orban called the attack a "very regrettable move".
A copy of the letter posted by Prime Minister Orban on Facebook shows President Trump's handwriting: "Viktor - I don't like hearing this at all, it makes me very angry".
The foreign ministers of Hungary and Slovakia also sent a letter to the European Commission on August 22, emphasizing that the latest attack by Ukraine could prevent the two countries from importing oil from Russia for at least 5 days and calling on the Commission to ensure security of supply.
"geographical reality shows that without this pipeline, ensuring a safe supply to countries would be impossible," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Slovakian Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said in the letter.
The EU said the bloc has invested in energy infrastructure in Croatia, which could provide alternative supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.
The Ukrainian attack on the night of August 21 marked the second time this week that Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia were affected, after the first interruption on August 18 and 19.
On late August 21, the Ukrainian military said it had again attacked the Unecha oil pumping station - an important part of Russia's Druzhba oil pipeline to Europe.
A Russian industry source also confirmed that oil supplies could be interrupted for several days.
The Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, running through Belarus and Ukraine, transported oil from Kazakhstan to Germany as well as from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia.
Germany said that Kazakhstan's oil supply, especially for the PCK Schwedt refinery supplying Berlin, was not affected by the latest attack. The German economy stressed: "Supply security is guaranteed".
Kazakhstan also said that its oil flow through Druzhba was not affected.
Hungarian Minister Szijjarto said his government was aware of the attack on the evening of August 21. "This is another attack on our energy security," he said.
Slovakia's Transpetrol pipeline operator has confirmed the interruption of oil supply via the Druzhba pipeline.
Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's unmanned aerial system, posted a video on Telegram showing a major fire at a facility with many fuel tanks.
Governor Alexander Bogomaz, head of Russia's Bryansk region, bordering Ukraine and Belarus, confirmed on August 22 that an energy facility in Unecha caught fire due to a missile and drone attack by Ukraine.
"After repelling a combined attack between MLRS HIMARS missiles and drones, a fire broke out at a fuel infrastructure facility in Unecha district," he informed.
