A new Ukrainian attack has once again stopped the flow of oil through the pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.

Just days after oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia resumed following a Ukrainian strike on a pumping station, Ukraine attacked the infrastructure again, halting supplies to the Central European nations once more.

Major Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, confirmed on Friday that Ukraine had targeted the pumping station at Unecha again.

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on Facebook that, due to the recent attack, oil deliveries via the pipeline would be paused for at least five days.

Szijjarto stated that Ukraine's attacks on the Druzhba pipeline harm Hungary and Slovakia, not Russia, emphasizing the pipeline's vital role in Hungary's energy security.

The Druzhba pipeline transports Russian crude oil to Central Europe and is a crucial supply route from Russia to Europe, featuring two branches: a northern route through Belarus supplying Belarus, Poland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania, and a southern route through Ukraine that delivers oil to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia.

Russian crude transported via pipeline faces no sanctions or embargoes, as landlocked Central European countries have limited alternatives.

While the Czech Republic has recently disconnected from Russian supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary and Slovakia continue to rely heavily on this Soviet-era infrastructure for most of their crude oil needs.

The latest attack marks the second strike on the Druzhba pipeline this week, following an earlier halt in oil flows due to a Ukrainian attack. Deliveries to Hungary were briefly restored on Wednesday but were suspended again on Friday.

Hungary blames Ukraine for these attacks impacting its energy security, while both Hungary and Slovakia have urged the European Commission to fulfill its commitments to protect critical energy infrastructure.