Druzhba Oil Flows To Resume After Weeklong Suspension Blamed On Russia Sanctions

The suspension of oil flows thought the Druzhba pipeline has affected countries such as Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. (file photo)

Russia's pipeline monopoly Transneft and Hungarian energy group MOL say oil flows are poised to resume through the Druzhba pipeline on August 10 after nearly a weeklong stoppage due to complications from sanctions.

The suspension has affected a number of countries, including Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

Transneft said Ukraine suspended Russian oil flows to three European nations as of August 4 because its transit payment couldn't be processed due to sanctions stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On August 10, MOL said the transit fee for the use of the Ukrainian section of the pipeline had been paid and the flow could resume within days.

Russian media then quoted Transneft as saying that the flow would begin by 4 p.m. Moscow time on August 10.

Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulik said onFacebook the oil flow had resumed but gave no further details.

However, no oil had reached the Czech Republic by the evening of August 10, the country's Mero pipeline operator said, and Hungary also was still to receive deliveries.

Czech Industry Minister Jozef Sikela said on Twitter the failure of supplies via the Druzhba pipeline "does not limit the performance of Czech refineries in any way."

The refineries are working full time and the state company Mero CR had oil reserves for several days, he said.

He also said the government is working with Poland to restore oil supplies through the pipeline to Polish-owned Czech refineries.

Transneft had said it made payments for August transits to Ukraine's pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta in July but the payment didn't go through.

Gazprombank, which handled the payment, said the money was returned because of EU restrictions, adding that oil deliveries to Poland and Germany via Belarus were under way "as usual."

Russia has already reduced gas pipeline flows to many EU member-states, citing problems with turbine maintenance on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline as well as sanctions against some buyers whom Moscow officially deemed to be "unfriendly."

Since the Kremlin launched its ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the West has imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia, cutting the country off from international financial institutions.

The European Union has been looking for ways to reduce its dependence on Russian energy resources and has agreed to ban more than two-thirds of Russian oil imports.

An EU ban on the purchase of Russian coal kicks into effect after midnight on August 10.

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa