Ukraine resumes transit of Russian oil to Europe
A sign with the inscription Naftoprovid Druzhba near Samara (Photo:File Photo / Reuters)
Ukraine’s national oil transit company, Ukrtransnafta, has resumed the transportation of Russian oil through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba oil pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary, according to a press release by national oil company Naftogaz on Aug. 11.
Ukrtransnafta had initially ceased transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba oil pipeline on Aug. 4, due to the failure of the Russian state-owned Transneft pipeline transport company to pay an advance payment for transportation.
The agreement between Ukrtransnafta and Transneft on the provision of transportation services calls for 100% advance payment for transit.
“Since no funds were received from Transneft, the Hungarian oil company MOL, which is the main consumer of oil transported through the southern branch of the Druzhba main oil pipeline, took the obligation to pay for the transit of Russian oil,” Naftogaz said.
“On August 10, Ukrtransnafta received payment for transportation services from the Hungarian oil company MOL, and after the funds were credited to the account, it resumed oil transportation through the Ukrainian section of the pipeline at 4:30 pm Kyiv time."
Naftogaz added that at the moment, Ukrtransnafta had no information regarding transit payments from the Czech Republic, and neither has it received an official letter from Transneft regarding transit to the Czech Republic to be paid for by Mero, the operator of the Druzhba pipeline section in that country.
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