Hungary accuses Ukraine of oil pipeline “attack”, Kyiv responds

He made the statement on Facebook on Monday, August 18.

“Ukraine has once again attacked the oil pipeline leading to Hungary, which resulted in the suspension of oil deliveries to the country,” Szijjártó wrote.

While he did not name the pipeline, it is likely the Druzhba line, a historic channel for Urals crude oil that supplies over 50% of Hungary’s imports. Last week, Szijjártó alleged Ukraine had struck an “important distribution station” of the Druzhba pipeline in Russia’s Bryansk region.

“This latest attack on our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable!” he declared.

Szijjártó cited Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin, who said Russian experts were working to “restore the transformer station as quickly as possible,” a critical facility for pipeline operations. The Hungarian minister complained that the timeline for resuming supplies remains unclear.

He also accused Brussels and Kyiv of trying to drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine for over three years, claiming these pipeline incidents were part of that effort.

“The Russia–Ukraine war is not Hungary’s war,” Szijjártó said, emphasizing that his country “wants to remain on the sidelines” as long as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government is in power.
“Finally, let us remind Ukrainian politicians: electricity from Hungary plays a key role in Ukraine’s energy supply,” he added.

Ukraine responds

Ukrainian diplomat Andrii Sybiha rejected the claims, posting on X:

“Peter, it is Russia, not Ukraine, who began this war and refuses to end it. Hungary has been told for years that Moscow is an unreliable partner. Despite this, Hungary has made every effort to maintain its reliance on Russia. Even after the full-scale war began. You can now send your complaints—and threats—to your friends in Moscow.”