Russia cuts oil supplies to Poland via Druzhba pipeline, Warsaw says 'We're prepared'

Russia on Friday cut off the oil supply of Poland's largest oil company, PKN Orlen over the Polish government's response to the ongoing Russian hostilities in Ukraine. A Polish state company stopped receiving oil via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia, its chief executive officer, Daniel Obajtek, announced on Twitter. "We’re effectively securing supplies. Russia has halted supplies to Poland, for which we are prepared," Obajtek said. 

Only remaining alternative option 

The CEO noted that Poland could fully supply oil from its refineries via sea, adding that the consumers will not be impacted. The Druzhba pipeline runs via Poland and transported oil to Poland and Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The pipeline was exempted from sanctions and was the only remaining alternative for Europe for oil delivery. Poland imports 10% of its total oil supply from Russia which had been disrupted since the war enraged in Europe's eastern flank. 

Earlier it was learned that despite the Western sanctions, the British government has been importing millions of dollars worth of Russian oil since the all-out invasion of Ukraine, according to an investigative report by The Sunday Times. Britain has been concealing Russian oil supplies amid the energy crisis and soaring inflation.

An estimated 39 tankers carrying £200 million worth of Russian oil (around $236 million) have been brought into the UK covertly since Moscow declared war on Ukraine, the new analysis revealed. Data earlier released by the global campaigning network Greenpeace also suggests that the British government imported some 2 million barrels of Russian oil in the months just after Russia's President Vladimir Putin declared a military offensive in Europe.  

The Russian Federation's Council Committee on Foreign Affairs' first deputy head had also earlier claimed that the 27-member bloc EU would have no option but to purchase oil through third countries and that too, at a higher price. His remarks came after the alleged sabotage of Germany's major Nord Stream pipelines that ran via the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile the President of the European Commission called on member states to restrict oil imports from Russia in response to sanctions.