Russia has confirmed the suspension of Kazakh oil shipments to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline, citing technical reasons, in a move that could disrupt refinery supplies in eastern Germany.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the disruption was due to technical issues but stressed that Kazakhstan’s export interests would be safeguarded through alternative routes.
Kazakhstan exports around 80 million tonnes of oil annually, with approximately 3 million tonnes typically transported via the Druzhba pipeline. In 2025, that volume stood at 2.1 million tonnes.
Kazakh crude plays a notable role in Germany’s energy mix, supplying an estimated 20–30% of demand at the Schwedt refinery, making the suspension potentially significant for regional supply stability.
The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world’s largest oil transport networks, has become increasingly politicised since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent reduction of Russian energy flows to Europe.
Separately, Slovakia confirmed that oil deliveries via the pipeline had resumed after a prolonged disruption. The Slovak Economy Ministry said crude began flowing again at 2 a.m. local time on Thursday, marking the end of a months-long outage.
Oil transit through the Ukrainian section of the pipeline restarted on Wednesday, a development that prompted Hungary to lift its veto on a €90 billion European Union loan package deemed critical for Ukraine.
Ukraine had previously said the halt in flows was necessary to carry out repairs, while Hungary and Slovakia accused Kyiv of delaying the process.
Despite broader EU efforts to phase out Russian energy imports, both Hungary and Slovakia remain reliant on Russian oil and gas and continue to seek ways to maintain supplies.
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