Information on the resumption of oil transit via Druzhba does not correspond to reality

The information published by Reuters citing statements by the Slovak Ministry of Economy regarding the resumption of Russian oil transit through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline on February 25, and later February 26, does not correspond to reality. Several ExPro sources in Ukrainian institutions reported this.

According to one source, "the information currently being circulated by the media, referring to the Slovak side about the alleged completion of repair works and the resumption of operations of the Druzhba pipeline following the Russian attack on January 27, does not correspond to reality".

No such official position has been voiced by the Ukrainian side, either publicly or in contacts between pipeline operators or between the governments of Ukraine and Slovakia.

As previously reported, on February 24, media, citing statements by the Slovak Ministry of Economy, reported that Ukraine had allegedly informed the Slovak oil transmission system operator Transpetrol about the postponement of the resumption of oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline to February 25. Later, reports indicated a further postponement to February 26.

At present, there is no official date for a possible resumption of Russian oil transit through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.

President of the European Council António Costa, during his visit to Kyiv on February 24, stated that Ukraine would conduct an assessment in the coming days to determine how much time would be required to repair the Druzhba pipeline.

As previously reported by ExPro, Russian oil transit was suspended following damage to the Druzhba pipeline infrastructure in the city of Brody, Lviv region, after a Russian attack on January 27, 2026.

Meanwhile, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Druzhba was destroyed by Russia, not Ukraine.

“First of all, it was Russia that destroyed the pipeline. Ukraine has all the evidence, including satellite images, proving that it was Russia that destroyed the Druzhba oil pipeline,” the President emphasized.

Background

Hungary and Slovakia accuse Ukraine of politically delaying the resumption of Russian oil transit. At the same time, the European Commission is discussing with Ukraine the timeline for restoring the Druzhba pipeline.

The countries have already suspended diesel supplies to Ukraine and are also threatening to halt gas and electricity supplies. More details on how realistic such a scenario is and how such a suspension could affect the Ukrainian market were analyzed in a previous ExPro article.

Hungary has also blocked the allocation of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine from the European Union until Ukraine resumes oil transit via Druzhba.

As previously reported by ExPro, in 2025 Ukraine transported around 9.73 million tons of Russian oil via the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, 14% less than in 2024 (11.36 million tons). This is also the lowest level at least since 2014, and likely the lowest in the entire history of Ukraine’s independence since 1991.