Crude oil deliveries from Russia to the Czech Republic through the Druzhba pipeline were halted, according to a spokesperson for Unipetrol, a Czech refiner and subsidiary of Poland’s Orlen Group. The spokesperson stated that Unipetrol was unaware of the cause behind the disruption.
Czech state pipeline operator Mero confirmed that it is closely monitoring the situation and is aware of the supply complications via the Druzhba pipeline. However, Mero reassured that there is no immediate threat to the country’s oil supply, as the Czech Republic maintains strategic reserves of crude oil and refined products sufficient to cover the country’s needs for up to 90 days in case of short-term disruptions.
Furthermore, Mero noted that oil supply through alternative routes, such as the Trans Alpine (TAL) and IKL pipelines from Italy and Germany, remains uninterrupted. The Czech Republic is also in the process of phasing out Russian oil imports by July 2025, with upgrades to the TAL pipeline expected to increase oil flow from Italy once completed next year.
The Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude to Central Europe, remains a vital oil conduit for several countries. The pipeline has two main branches: a northern route serving Belarus, Poland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania, and a southern route supplying oil to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia. Despite the EU’s embargo on Russian crude imports by sea, flows through the Druzhba pipeline remain exempt from the ban.
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