KYIV: Ukrainian drones have struck a Russian pumping station serving the Druzhba oil pipeline set as much as provide Moscow’s crude to japanese Europe, a Ukrainian safety official mentioned on Monday (Feb 23).
The in a single day strike prompted a fireplace on the Kaleykino station close to the town of Almetyevsk in Russia’s Tatarstan area greater than 1,200 km (750 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, added the official from Ukraine’s SBU safety service.
The official gave no particulars of any broader influence on the pipeline.
The Almetyevsk administration mentioned on Telegram that Russian air defences had introduced down a number of drones over the Almetyevsk district, with falling particles igniting a fireplace in an area industrial zone. It didn’t point out the Druzhba pipeline or give any particulars of potential harm.
The assault, the newest Ukrainian assault on the route, dangers exacerbating tensions between Ukraine and its neighbours Hungary and Slovakia. Each have accused Kyiv of making an attempt to block oil flows by way of the pipeline to their refineries.
Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia have been reduce off since Jan 27, when Kyiv says a Russian drone strike hit pipeline tools in Western Ukraine.
Regardless of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, Kyiv had continued to move Russian oil by way of the pipelines throughout its territory though it stopped the transit of Russian fuel firstly of final yr.
Hungary and Slovakia have threatened to chop off electrical energy provides to Ukraine if the oil movement doesn’t resume.
