Druzhba Damaged by Russian Attack, Ukrainian Embassy Responds to SIS Claims

       Bratislava, 5 March (TASR) - On 27 January, a Russian drone struck an oil tank at the Druzhba oil pipeline facility, targeting the largest oil reservoir in Europe, which has a capacity of up to 75,000 cubic metres of oil, the Ukrainian Embassy in Bratislava stated on Thursday in response to previous claims by the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) that the Druzhba pipeline hadn't been damaged, which, according to SIS, is proven by satellite images from the site of the incident.
        "At the time of the intervention, there were approximately 25,000 cubic metres of oil in the tank. The intervention caused a large fire, which firefighters spent ten days extinguishing. To prevent an even greater technological and ecological disaster, it was necessary to urgently pump part of the oil from the tank, which was practically boiling, into the pipeline directly during the fire," said Yelyzaveta Derevynska from the Ukrainian Embassy in Bratislava.
        According to her, several elements of the technological equipment, power cables, transformers, and the leak detection system, which ensures the tightness of the pipeline, were damaged.
        However, according to the Ukrainian embassy, the biggest problem was that the flames were so intense that the high temperature of the oil also damaged a significant part of the internal equipment of the pipeline - various sensors and automation elements, without which it is impossible to control the pipeline.
        "Outwardly, the situation may not seem dramatic, but in reality it is very complicated and will require extensive repair work," added Derevynska.
        According to her, Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz is currently working in Ukraine to assess the extent of the damage, i.e., to conduct a detailed inspection of the condition of the pipeline, sensors, and the entire internal infrastructure. Only after this has been completed will the Ukrainian side be able to prepare a budget and determine what resources and how much time will be needed for repairs so that the pipeline can be physically managed and operated again, the embassy added.
        Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a briefing in Kiev on Thursday that the Druzhba oil pipeline could be technically ready for operation in a month and a half. Naftogaz CEO Sergii Koretskyi said that the pipeline's main pumping station was damaged in the attack.