Ukrainian Drone Strike Halts Major Russian Oil Pipeline to Europe
Kyiv, August 22: Ukrainian military forces have carried out another drone strike on Russian energy infrastructure, targeting the Unecha oil pumping station in Bryansk Oblast. The facility, located near the Russian-Belarusian border, is a key part of the Druzhba pipeline system, one of the largest oil pipelines in the world.
According to Ukraine’s Commander of Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, the strike was carried out by drones operated by the 14th Regiment. Video footage released by the military showed a fire breaking out after the attack.
The Druzhba pipeline transports crude oil from Russia to several European countries. Despite European Union sanctions on Russian energy exports, Hungary and Slovakia continue to receive oil through this route, under special exemptions.
Following the latest strike, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed that deliveries had once again been interrupted. “This is the third reported attack in a short time on infrastructure connected to the Druzhba pipeline. Supplies of crude oil to Hungary have been suspended again,” Szijjarto said in a statement released on Friday morning.
The Unecha station has become a repeated target of Ukrainian attacks as Kyiv continues to pressure Russia’s energy network, which plays a vital role in financing Moscow’s war effort.
Source: QNA, Ukrainian media reports
