UPDATE 4: Transneft resumes oil pumping via southern string of Druzhba

(Rewrites story)

PRAGUE/MOSCOW, Aug 10 (PRIME) -- Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has started oil supplies via the southern string of the Druzhba pipeline at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, spokesman for the company Igor Dyomin told PRIME.

“The pumping units were switched on at 4:00 p.m., the operating pressure will be reached in 15 minutes,” he said.

According to Slovakian energy company Slovnaft’s latest comments, oil will start to arrive in Slovakia at around 5:00–6:00 p.m. local time (6:00–7:00 p.m. Moscow time) on Wednesday.

Dyomin said earlier that Ukraine had confirmed having received the payment for Russian oil transit.

Slovakian TV channel TAZ reported earlier that Hungarian oil and gas company MOL and Slovnaft had agreed with Ukraine on resumption of oil supplies.

"The Ukrainian side has reacted positively to Slovnaft and MOL’s proposal to pay the costs of oil supplies via the southern line of the Druzhba pipeline. Refinery Slovnaft has already paid the Ukrainian side and expects that it will help resume oil pumping in a few days," the channel reported.

MOL paid for transit of Russian oil across Ukraine via the Druzhba pipeline, Reuters reported, citing the company.

On August 4, Ukrainian state company Ukrtransnafta stopped Russian oil pumping through the southern line of the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia because of the troubles with payments after the seventh package of sanctions.

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