Druzhba oil pipeline leak: The operator broke his silence, was it sabotage?! – New time

The Polish company PERN, which is the operator of the Druzhba pipeline that supplies oil from Russia to Europe, said on Thursday that the leak from the pipeline detected on Tuesday was probably not the result of sabotage. PERN said in its statement – ​​quoted by the DPA agency, from which the report was taken by TASR – that based on the initial findings and the way the pipeline was damaged, it appears that it was not a third-party intervention. However, a more detailed analysis is also being carried out in order to determine the causes of the damage and decide on the method of repair so that the flow of oil in this section can be restored at full capacity. The site of the leak, which was discovered late on Tuesday, is located approximately 70 kilometers from the central Polish city of Plock. Firefighters, environmental protection teams and investigators intervened on the spot after its discovery. In a statement Wednesday, PERN did not say how much oil leaked or how big the hole was in the pipeline. However, the pollution caused by the oil spill has already been largely removed, DPA reports. The pipeline spill comes as Europe grapples with an energy crisis and fears that Russia could further reduce the flow of fossil fuels to the West amid tensions fueled by the war in Ukraine.