In February 2023, oil deliveries routed through the Russian Druzhba pipeline to European nations declined sharply, dropping to 939.3 thousand tons—roughly a threefold fall from February 2022. This shift is reported by vedomosti, which cites two sources familiar with statistics from Russia’s Ministry of Energy. The dip aligns with reduced shipments to Germany, Poland, and Slovakia, even as Russia stepped up supplies to the Czech Republic by 55.8 percent, reaching 405 thousand tons for the month. Meanwhile, Slovakia saw its intake cut by half to 215 thousand tons, and deliveries to Hungary fell by 16 percent to 319.6 thousand tons. Notably, shipments to Poland and Germany were reported as having ceased altogether in February 2023.
The changes in flow reflect broader national and regional energy dynamics. The data indicate a reallocation of Russian oil from some Central and Western European markets to others within the bloc, as well as to nearby non-member markets. The Czech Republic emerged as a relatively strong recipient in February 2023, while Poland and Germany faced the termination of imports through the Druzhba corridor. These movements carry implications for European refining and energy security planning, including pipeline utilization, storage management, and pricing within central and eastern Europe.
In related remarks, Bolat Akçulakov, who previously served as Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister, stated that the Kazakh authorities planned to send an additional 20,000 tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline in April 2023. This intention reflects ongoing efforts to diversify and stabilize market access through long-standing pipeline routes. The Kazakh oil company also noted that in December 2022 it had submitted annual transportation applications totaling 1.2 million tons for 2023, targeting delivery to the Adamova Zastava oil distribution point through Transneft PJSC’s main oil pipeline network. These plans illustrate continued collaboration among producer nations and transit operators to manage annual load and ensure predictable shipments to key European markets.