A Russian airstrike on 27 January damaged Ukraine's Brody oil hub, halting oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. The disruption has triggered a diplomatic clash, jeopardizing a €90bn EU loan to Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials say repairs will take six weeks due to war-related resource constraints. Satellite images confirm extensive damage, including to a 75,000-cubic-meter storage tank that burned for days.
Ukrainian energy expert Henadiy Ryabtsev warns the intense heat may have compromised pumps and internal pipeline systems. Workers face nighttime air raids and personnel shortages.
Hungary accuses Kyiv of stalling for political reasons. Prime Minister Viktor Orban blames Ukraine, despite his government’s close ties to Moscow and anti-Zelensky rhetoric ahead of Hungary’s 12 April election.
MOL, Hungary’s state-backed energy firm, claims the pipeline remains intact and cites a US study saying underground lines were likely undamaged. But analyst András Rácz counters that internal safety systems are likely ruined, making operation unsafe.
Hungary now imports Brent crude via Croatia but lacks refining capacity for non-Russian oil. The EU has offered technical support and funding to accelerate repairs.
President Zelensky questioned restoring a pipeline carrying Russian oil, calling the issue political, not just technical.