Druzhba pipeline oil transit via Ukraine back online after operational disruption

Russian oil flow through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline resumed at 12:35 local time after a months-long halt, according to sources cited by RBC-Ukraine.

The resumption follows earlier disruptions in transit operations along the pipeline route.

Earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico indicated that Bratislava could support unblocking a €90 billion package for Ukraine and approve the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia, on the condition that Russian oil transit via Druzhba is restored.

Druzhba is one of the world’s longest oil pipeline systems, originally commissioned in the 1960s by the Soviet Union to transport crude oil from Russia’s oil-rich regions into Central and Eastern Europe. 

At its peak, the system handled over one million barrels of crude per day and historically formed a central pillar of Europe’s energy supply chain, particularly for landlocked states that lack direct access to seaborne oil imports.

Despite EU efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy after 2022, Druzhba has remained partially active due to exemptions for pipeline deliveries to certain Central European countries, which rely on it for refinery operations and supply stability.

By Jeyhun Aghazada