EU warns of risks of renewed Russian strikes during repairs of Druzhba oil pipeline

This was stated by European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen during a briefing in Brussels on Friday, Ukrinform's correspondent reports.

Regarding the timeline for repairs, the Ukrainian government "is committed to repairing it, but with the caveat that of course high risk of repeated Russian attacks, both the staff as well as on infrastructure," she said.

"We would welcome the reactivation of the pipeline, but the decision is for Ukraine only whether and when to repair it," Itkonen stated.

She recalled that after previous Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Ukrainians restored facilities that were subsequently destroyed again by Russia.

Separately, she reminded that even before the war in Ukraine began, Russia had turned Europe's dependence on fossil fuels into a weapon.

She also once again emphasized that there are currently no immediate risks to the energy security of Hungary or Slovakia, as both countries have oil reserves sufficient to cover 90 days of demand.

As Ukrinform reported, on January 27 Russian forces struck energy infrastructure in the Lviv region. It later emerged that a drone may have hit a section of the pipeline through which Russian oil is supplied to Hungary and Slovakia. Naftogaz confirmed the strike but did not specify what exactly was hit, only noting that it was the 15th attack on its facilities in a month.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reminded Hungary that the problems with the transit of Russian oil are caused precisely by Russia's aggression and its strikes on the infrastructure of the Druzhba pipeline, to which Budapest has not publicly responded.

In turn, Croatia's Minister of Economy Ante Susnjar stated that Croatia is ready to help Hungary and Slovakia with oil transit, but not Russian oil, as it finances Russia's war against Ukraine.

In an exclusive comment to Ukrinform, former Slovak Economy Minister Karel Hirman, who is also an expert in the oil and gas sector, said that neither Slovakia nor Hungary has substantial grounds to demand the transportation of specifically Russian oil via the alternative supply route – the Adria pipeline from the territory of Croatia – as this route is open to oil of any origin.

He also stated that the government of Robert Fico does not have the authority to ban electricity exports to Ukraine despite threats voiced earlier in connection with the halt of Russian oil transit through Ukraine via the Druzhba pipeline.

Photo: eumetsat.int