"Druzhba" oil pipeline was seriously damaged, - media SATELLITE IMAGES

Satellite images confirm that there is a high probability of serious damage to the "Druzhba" oil pipeline as a result of a Russian strike.

This is reported in an article by Texty.org, as reported by Censor.NET.

Details

Oil transit was suspended at the end of January 2026 following a Russian attack. Hungary and Slovakia do not believe these claims and accuse Ukraine of artificially halting supplies.

Journalists analysed satellite photos and assessed the likelihood of damage.

NASA’s FRIMS detected a fire occurring days after the Russian strike on 27 January 2026.

The publication also assessed the possible damage to the facility using an algorithm based on Sentinel-1. It confirms extensive damage to the facility as of 27 January.

Important

The satellite image below is a standard base map, similar to what you see on Google Maps, and does not correspond to the date indicated. The affected areas are marked in purple on the map.

"Due to the algorithm’s limitations, we cannot view damage for a specific day or week. However, for comparison, we checked January 2025. There is virtually no damage visible in last year’s image. Given that there were no major fires at the site during the year, it is logical to assume that most of the damage occurred on the day of the attack, 27 January 2026," the authors noted.

The journalists noted that certain changes at the site were recorded as early as 2025 — without any associated fires, according to NASA data.

"We cannot explain the cause of these changes. It is worth recalling that the algorithm tracks not destruction as such, but significant changes in the condition of structures. Most such changes are indeed caused by destruction, but, for example, the installation of protective structures at the facility can also cause them," the article concluded.

What preceded

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously promised European partners that transit would resume in about a month and a half.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Budapest’s position on financial support for Ukraine would not change until oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were restored.

Russia’s attack on the "Druzhba" oil pipeline

On January 7, a piece of infrastructure was damaged in Brody, Lviv region, as a result of a Russian attack. Naftogaz reported that the Russian military had attacked a critical infrastructure facility in western Ukraine. A fire broke out, and operations at the facility were halted.
According to the publication Enkorr, the facility in question is located in the city of Brody in the Lviv region and is connected to the Druzhba oil pipeline.
On February 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline had been suspended since January 27 due to a Russian attack. He also said that Budapest was preparing to lodge a complaint regarding transit issues.
The governments of Hungary and Slovakia have announced a suspension of diesel fuel exports to Ukraine until Russian oil supplies resume via the Druzhba pipeline.
On March 11, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a group of Hungarian citizens had entered Ukrainian territory without official status or scheduled official meetings.
President Zelenskyy stated that he is unaware of what the Hungarian delegation is doing in Ukraine.
Subsequently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Zelenskyy of lying and published a Hungarian diplomatic note indicating that Budapest had requested a meeting between Cepec and Ukrainian Minister Denys Shmyhal.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry's note indicates that the Hungarian side did not coordinate its delegation's visit to the Druzhba oil pipeline with Ukraine and received proposals from Kyiv regarding alternative dates for the visit.