Orban accuses Ukraine of disrupting oil supplies to Hungary

3 hours agoHarry SekulichBBC News Getty ImagesHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he has stationed soldiers at key energy facilities across the country after he blamed Ukraine for disrupting energy supplies.Orban has accused Kyiv of imposing an "oil blockade" on Hungary by deliberately delaying the reopening of the Druzhba pipeline, the main route for delivering Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia through the pipeline have been cut off since 27 January, with Kyiv saying it was closed after Russian strikes. Orban said the suspension of the critical oil flow was purely political and that Ukraine was "preparing further actions".Ukraine did not immediately respond to Orban's comments.Kyiv has repeatedly attacked Russian oil facilities, including the section of the Druzhba pipeline running through Russian territory, with a Ukrainian drone strike hitting an oil pumping station earlier this week.The attacks forced Russia's oil operator to reduce the amount of crude oil it takes into its system by about 250,000 barrels a day, according to Reuters.Ukraine has been dealing with acute power shortages due to sharply intensified Russian attacks on its power and gas networks.It has had to increase imports from Europe, some of which come from Hungary and Slovakia. Both countries have threatened to halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine until the oil pipeline has been reopened.Earlier this week, Hungary vetoed a vital €90bn European Union loan (£78bn) to Ukraine, citing anger over the Druzhba pipeline dispute.An EU spokesperson told AFP on Wednesday that Hungary and Slovakia do not currently run the risk of a shortage of oil despite the interruption of Russian deliveries from the pipeline, as alternative sources are supplying both countries. "Croatia confirmed at the meeting that non-Russian crude oil is being transported through the Adria pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia," European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said after experts met to discuss the situation. "It remains the main alternative pipeline for Hungary and Slovakia to cover their needs, and the pipeline has sufficient capacity to increase volumes to fully cover the Hungarian Slovakian requirements," she said. Following a meeting of the Hungarian Defence Council on Wednesday, Orban uploaded a video on social media announcing measures that he said were to protect the country's critical energy infrastructure.Soldiers have been deployed to energy stations, police will patrol power stations, and drones are banned in Hungary's north-east border region with Ukraine, the Hungarian PM announced. "The Ukrainian government is exerting pressure on the Hungarian and Slovak governments through an oil blockade," he said, adding that "they are preparing further actions to disrupt Hungary's energy system".Zelensky did not immediately respond to the accusation, and there was no indication that Ukraine was planning such an attack. Orban's critics say he has been stepping up the war of words with Ukraine in order to convince the public that Hungary is under attack in the run up to elections in April. His ruling Fidesz party is trailing in most opinion polls, suggesting he could lose power after 16 years.