Russian oil deliveries to Czech Republic via Druzhba pipeline suspended, Czech official says

Russian oil deliveries to the Czech Republic via the Druzhba pipeline have been halted, Czech news channel CT24 reported on March 4, citing Industry and Trade Minister Lukas Vlcek.

"We control the situation and are prepared for such circumstances. Refineries in the Czech Republic are well prepared, and the state material reserve system is reliable, so I can assure everyone that there are enough oil reserves for both households and businesses," Vlcek said.

No mention was made of the cause for the halt in deliveries.

The Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline transports Russian oil to Europe through two main branches: the southern route supplies Central Europe, and the northern route serves Northern Europe.

This is not the first disruption to Druzhba's oil flow. In early December 2024, supplies were temporarily halted but resumed after two days.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced in January that Prague intends to completely stop Russian oil imports via Druzhba. The country plans to rely instead on the Transalpine Pipeline, which has been modernized to boost supply volumes.

The European Union imposed an embargo on Russian oil and oil products in June 2023, though the southern branch of Druzhba was temporarily exempted.

That exemption expires in June 2025, after which recipient countries must find alternative supply routes.