Minister: Druzhba pumping on hold due to transformer station damage

BUDAPEST, Nov 16 (PRIME) -- Oil transportation via the Druzhba pipeline was stopped due to a damage to a transformer station following missile strikes on Ukraine and will be resumed soon after repairs, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday.

"As a result of a Russian missile strike on the territory of Ukraine, the Ukrainian energy infrastructure was significantly damaged,” the minister said.

“Oil pumping via the Druzhba pipeline through which oil is shipped from Russia via Ukraine to Hungary was suspended yesterday."

Szijjarto added that the pipeline was not damaged.

Aide to Transneft president Igor Dyomin told PRIME that Ukraine had notified the company of the absence of plans to restart oil transportation on Wednesday.

According to Szijjarto, the pipeline would be restarted soon after repairs.

Late on Tuesday, Ukraine notified Russian oil pipeline company Transneft that it had suspended oil transportation via the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary due to a pressure drop.

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