Russian oil supply to Hungary, Slovakia resumes through Druzhba pipeline

PRAGUE/BERLIN. Aug 28 (Interfax) - Russian oil supply to Hungary and Slovakia has resumed through the Druzhba pipeline, the Czech television channel CT24 said.

"Russian oil supply to Hungary and Slovakia has resumed through the Druzhba pipeline, Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova and the Hungarian company MOL said," the channel reported.

The Slovak company Transpetrol confirmed the resumption of oil supply to Slovakia. It said the supply resumed in the morning of August 28.

Meanwhile, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that Budapest has denied entry to Hungary and the Schengen area to the commander of a Ukrainian military unit, which, to its knowledge, is responsible for strikes on the Druzhba pipeline.

"In response to the latest Ukrainian strike against the Druzhba oil pipeline, the Hungarian government has decided to ban the commander of the military unit responsible from entering Hungary and the entire Schengen Area," Szijjarto said on X.

"This was an attack on Hungary's sovereignty, endangering our energy security and nearly forcing the use of our strategic reserves," he said.

Kiev is aware of the strategic significance of the Druzhba oil pipeline for energy security of Hungary and Slovakia and the fact that such strikes do more damage to those countries than to Russia, Szijjarto said.

As reported, the Druzhba pipeline carrying oil to Hungary and Slovakia was damaged near the Russian-Belarusian border by a Ukrainian strike in the early hours of August 22. Russian oil supply to both countries were halted as result.