Slovakia declares oil emergency as supplies cut off

The Slovak government has declared a state of oil emergency following a halt in crude supplies to Slovakia and Hungary, the result of damage to the Družba pipeline in Ukraine caused by Russian military attacks.

Under the emergency measures, the Bratislava-based refinery Slovnaft will be permitted to temporarily draw on the country’s strategic oil reserves, Caliber.Az reports, citing Slovak media.

According to government documents, it is expected to take 20 to 30 days for crude to reach Slovakia via the Adria pipeline, which originates in Croatia.

Slovnaft has requested access to 250,000 tonnes of emergency oil reserves to cover at least one month of refinery operations at minimum capacity while ensuring the continued supply of petroleum products to the Slovak market.

The oil emergency will take effect from February 19 and may remain in place until September 30, 2026.

Denisa Saková, the Minister of Economy from Hlas, is expected to provide further details at a press conference following the cabinet meeting.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned that Slovakia may stop supplying electricity to Ukraine in response to Kyiv’s suspension of Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline.

“If President Zelenskyy believes that oil deliveries through Druzhba have no value, we may in turn take a different decision — to halt our cooperation with Ukraine on electricity supplies,” Fico said.

The transit of Russian oil to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline was suspended at the start of February, prompting the Slovak government to declare a crisis over fuel shortages in the country.

Oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline — a major route carrying Russian crude to Central and Eastern Europe — have been disrupted by a series of attacks and explosions in recent months.

The pipeline has been struck multiple times in 2025, including drone and explosive attacks on key pumping stations in Russian territory such as Bryansk and Tambov Oblasts, which led to fires and temporary shutdowns of sections of the line.

These incidents have halted or reduced deliveries of Russian oil to countries such as Hungary and Slovakia, prompting political disputes and repair efforts. Ukraine’s military has been reported as carrying out some of the strikes, while Russia and European officials have offered differing accounts of responsibility and impacts

By Aghakazim Guliyev