The Czech Republic has stopped receiving Russian oil via the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which runs through Ukraine.
This was announced on December 4 by the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic, Lukas Vlcek.
His statement is quoted by the Czech publication Novinky .
What the Minister Said About the Termination of Oil Supplies via Druzhba
Vlcek stated that the country, for unknown reasons, stopped receiving oil via Druzhba.
We are in contact with all significant actors, the minister said.
The Czech Republic receives 58% of its oil via Druzhba. Vlček noted that the republic has significant reserves of this raw material, and the country's refineries are prepared for supply disruptions.
The reserves will be used if supplies do not resume, added the head of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The chairman of the board of the Union of Independent Oil Industrialists of the Republic, Ivo Indracek, also commented on the situation.
According to him, the country can do without oil supplies for 90 days. Then, Indracek continued, supplies should begin via the trans-Alpine oil pipeline TAL.
After completion of the work to expand the capacity of this oil pipeline, the Czech Republic plans to completely abandon oil from Russia.
The Druzhba oil pipeline, which starts in Almetyevsk, goes through Bryansk and then branches out.
In the direction of Poland and Germany, “Friendship” passes through the territory of Belarus, in the direction of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia – through the territory of Ukraine.
Last year, Russian oil supplies to Poland and Germany ceased. Now oil from Kazakhstan is being supplied via this route.
At the end of November, a Ukrainian citizen was detained in Slovakia on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack on Druzhba.
On December 1, Poland reported a leak at a section of the Druzhba pipeline near the city of Pniewy. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
