Halted shipments of Russian oil resume to Slovakia

Halted shipments of Russian oil resume to Slovakia
# 11 August 2022 09:10 (UTC +04:00)

Oil shipments from Russia through a critical pipeline to several European countries resumed after a problem over payments for transit was resolved, Slovakia’s Economy Minister Richard Sulik said on Wednesday, APA reports citing ABC News.

“Oil is already on Slovakia territory,” Sulik said on Facebook. He gave no further details.

But no oil has reached the neighboring Czech Republic yet, the country’s Mero pipeline operator said, and Hungary also was still to receive deliveries by Wednesday evening.

Russian state pipeline operator Transneft said Tuesday it halted shipments through the southern branch of the Druzhba, or Friendship, pipeline, which runs through Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. The northern leg of the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Belarus to Poland and Germany, was unaffected, Transneft said.

Transneft cited complications due to European Union sanctions for its action on Aug. 4, saying its payment to the company’s Ukrainian counterpart was refused.

Earlier Wednesday, Sulik said the payments would be made by Slovak refiner Slovnaft after both the Russian and Ukrainian sides agreed to the solution. Slovnaft is owned by Hungary’s MOL energy group.

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