Finance
Druzhba oil pipeline damaged by fire after Russian strike, minister says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 3, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 3, 2026
Quick Summary
Ukraine’s energy minister reports that the Druzhba oil pipeline branch in Ukraine was severely damaged by a fire following a Russian strike, halting oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia since January 27. Brussels says there’s no immediate risk to EU energy security, though tensions continue.
Druzhba pipeline damaged by fire after January Russian strike, says report
Impact and Aftermath of the Druzhba Pipeline Attack
Details of the Incident
KYIV, March 3 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was severely damaged by fire after a Russian attack in late January, Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal told Interfax Ukraine on Tuesday.
Oil flows through the pipeline mainly operated by Russia have been suspended since January 27 after what Kyiv said was a Russian attack on pumping facilities in western Ukraine, triggering an EU dispute and prompting Hungary to try to block new sanctions on Moscow.
Extent of the Damage
"Most of the internal equipment of the oil pipeline, various sensors and other equipment inside the oil pipeline were damaged by temperature conditions," Shmyhal told news agency Interfax.
Reuters could not verify the level of damages.
Political and Economic Repercussions
Hungary's Response and EU Tensions
Hungary has also accused Ukraine of meddling in its April elections and has blocked a 90 billion euro EU loan to Kyiv.
Repair and Investigation Efforts
"This (Druzhba pipeline) damage is not visible from the outside," Shmyhal told Interfax Ukraine, adding that the repair costs and time it will take will be calculated once the defects have been examined.
International Reactions
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is likely to discuss the Druzhba pipeline problems in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, a European Commission spokesperson said.
Moscow has accused Kyiv of threatening Europe's energy security by stopping Russian oil flowing through the pipeline.
Oil Transit Statistics
Transit through the route in 2025 hit a 10-year low of 9.7 million tons, Kyiv-based oil consultancy ExPro said.
ExPro said Slovakia received 4.9 million tons of oil, while shipments to Hungary were 4.35 million tons.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by David Goodman and Nivedita Bhattacharjee)
Key Takeaways
- •The Ukrainian Druzhba pipeline was significantly damaged by fire after a Russian attack, disrupting oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia since January 27 (Reuters) and (Moscow Times) (themoscowtimes.com).
- •Though the damage isn’t visible externally, Ukraine’s Energy Minister noted internal equipment losses—including sensors and pumps—delaying repair cost and timeline estimations (Reuters via user’s article).
- •The EU’s Oil Coordination Group assessed on February 25 that the disruption doesn’t pose an immediate supply risk as Hungary and Slovakia released strategic reserves and sought alternative routes like Croatia’s Adria pipeline (energy.ec.europa.eu).
- •Hungary and Slovakia leveraged the halt politically—Hungary suspended diesel supplies and blocked a €90 billion EU loan, while Slovakia threatened electricity cuts—all amid growing diplomatic tensions over energy access and EU sanctions (en.wikipedia.org).
- •The European Commission urged independent inspections and continues monitoring, with von der Leyen expected to discuss the issue with Zelenskiy, while resisting energy disputes delaying support to Ukraine (Reuters background plus EU pressure context) (ft.com).
References
- Oil Supplies to Hungary and Slovakia Halted After Damage to Druzhba Pipeline - The Moscow Times
- Commission and Member States confirm no immediate oil supply concerns following the interruption of transit via the Druzhba pipeline - Energy
- 2026 Slovak–Ukraine oil dispute
- EU urges Ukraine to allow access to pipeline carrying Russian oil
Frequently Asked Questions about Druzhba oil pipeline damaged by fire after Russian strike, minister says
1What caused the fire at the Druzhba oil pipeline?
The fire was caused by a Russian attack on oil pumping installations in western Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.
2Which countries are affected by the Druzhba pipeline outage?
Hungary and Slovakia, which receive Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, are primarily impacted.
3How long has oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline been suspended?
Oil shipments have been suspended since January 27 following the reported Russian attack.
4What are the estimated repair costs and timeline for the Druzhba pipeline?
Ukraine's energy minister stated that repair costs and the time required will be calculated after damage assessment.
5Is the damage to the Druzhba pipeline visible externally?
No, the damage is not visible from the outside, as it mostly affected internal equipment and sensors.