An incident occurred at a strategic facility in Poland related to Russia
On Sunday morning, damage to an oil pipeline near the town of Pniewy was identified. Repair work began immediately, and oil supplies are being ensured through a backup line.
Photo: toffehoff, CC BY-SA 2.0
On Sunday morning, December 1, near the Polish town of Pniewy, a leak was detected in one of the two lines of the western section of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline, which transports oil from Poland to Germany, according to the pipeline operator PERN.
The damage site was promptly located by PERN specialists, who immediately halted the flow of oil through the affected line. A backup line, fully meeting client needs, is being used to ensure stable supplies.
Emergency crews from the company and the State Fire Service arrived at the scene immediately after the incident.
The area was quickly cordoned off, allowing repair work to begin safely. The damage was found beneath a road crossing on national highway No. 92.
The repair algorithm involves preparing the site, emptying the pipeline, and replacing the defective segment. Preliminary data suggests the incident poses no threat to the local population and will not impact road operations.
The cause of the accident remains unknown. An internal PERN commission will investigate the matter. Despite the incident, oil supplies and road accessibility remain stable.
Kazakh oil continues to be supplied to the refinery in Schwedt, Germany, via the northern branch of the "Druzhba" pipeline, where the incident occurred, according to Deutsche Welle.
This route has become an alternative to Russian supplies, halted since February 2023 due to European Union sanctions. The northern branch has a throughput capacity of 2 million barrels per day.
In Mozyr, Belarus, the pipeline splits: the northern direction serves Poland and Germany, while the southern route serves Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
The use of Kazakh oil enables Germany to maintain stable operations at Schwedt and reduces Europe's dependence on Russian energy resources.
Earlier reports indicated that Germany suspects underwater cable damage in the Baltic Sea could have been the result of a targeted hybrid attack, as stated by the country's defense and foreign ministers.
It was also reported that in Warsaw, foreign ministers from six EU countries and the UK announced the adoption of an action plan aimed at strengthening European security, supporting Ukraine, and countering Russian aggression.