Ukrainian drones attack Druzhba oil pipeline again, Hungary reports problems

Ukrainian drones have attacked the Druzhba oil pipeline again in Russia’s western Bryansk region, media reported today, citing Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. The drones hit the Unecha pumping station, he said. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reported on Facebook this morning that oil supplies to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline had been interrupted again.

Brovdi published footage of the fire he said was caused by the attack. Bryansk Region Governor Alexander Bogomaz also reported the blaze, which he said had started as a result of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks. The fire has since been extinguished, he said, Reuters reports.

"We received word overnight of a new attack on the Druzhba oil pipeline on the Russian-Belarusian border – the third in a short time. Oil supplies to Hungary have been halted again!", Szijjártó wrote.

Late on Thursday, Bogomaz had already reported that two Ukrainian drones had been shot down, adding that they had caused no damage, BBC News reported.

Ukrainian drones also attacked the Unecha station overnight on 13 August. Overnight on 18 August, they hit the Nikolskoye pumping station in Russia’s Tambov region, where a fire broke out and oil transportation through the Druzhba pipeline came to a complete halt.

Szijjártó reported an interruption to Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline on Monday, as did Slovak oil transporter Transpetrol. Oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline resumed on Tuesday evening, the Slovak Ministry of Economy said.