PRAGUE — Oil shipments to the Czech Republic via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia have come to a halt, according to an announcement made Tuesday by Mero, the state company managing the pipeline system.
The reason behind the suspension of oil flow through the pipeline, which is the Czech Republic’s sole source of Russian oil, remains unclear. Despite the interruption, the Czech authorities have assured that there will not be any significant supply issues, as the nation is actively moving away from reliance on Moscow for oil.
Furthermore, the Czech Republic has strategically maintained reserves sufficient for three months to cushion against such disruptions.
This recent stoppage marks the second occurrence in a short span, with a similar disruption reported last December lasting for several days.
Currently, only the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary among European Union member states continue to import oil from Russia. The rest of the EU bloc, comprising 24 nations, ceased oil purchases from Russia, driven by sanctions imposed following Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
To further secure its energy independence, the Czech Republic declared in January the successful completion of a project aimed at severing reliance on Russian oil, after investing approximately $60 million to boost the Italian TAL pipeline’s capacity to 8 million metric tons annually. This pipeline, extending as IKL through Germany, plays a vital role in supplying oil to the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia.
Mero, the state entity responsible for managing the Czech pipeline infrastructure, has confirmed that the pipeline has undergone thorough testing and can be promptly activated if required.
