To power the generators of its hospitals and run its tanks, Ukraine, which no longer has a working refinery, needs fuel. However, one of its Hungarian suppliers manufactures refined products… from Russian oil.
1 min
With our correspondent in Budapest, Florence La Bruyere
If the Ukrainian tanks continue to roll, it is thanks to Russian oil. Before the war, Ukraine bought diesel from Russia and Belarus. Today, she gets her supplies on the international market, notably in Hungary, Lithuania, Romania and Turkey. Among the companies from which Ukraine obtains fuel is the Hungarian company MOL. But it refines crude that it buys from Russia. Oil that the Hungarian firm pays 30% less than on the market, thanks to its good relations with Moscow.
“ For MOL, the situation is excellent, because it buys crude very cheaply. He arrives from Russia, via Belarus and Ukraine. Then MOL transforms it into refined products, which it resells directly to Ukraine “, explains Michal Paszkowski, researcher at the Central European Institute.
Over the past six months, the Hungarian company has doubled its diesel sales to Ukraine, according to Ukrainian customs. MOL can deliver quickly, by train and by an old pipeline which has been reactivated. “ This pipeline dates from 1976. The Hungarians are using it again because it directly connects the Hungarian refinery “Duna” to Ukraine. »
There is indeed a European embargo on Russian oil. But it does not apply to crude transported by pipeline. A derogation that had been demanded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
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