Hungary Accuses Ukraine of Threatening Its Energy System, Tightens Security at Energy Sites

Overview

• Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said intelligence indicates planned Ukrainian actions against Hungary’s energy network and announced new protections.
• Hungary will deploy soldiers and equipment, step up police patrols around designated plants and control centers, and has banned drones in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county.
• Budapest and Bratislava blame Kyiv for the Druzhba shutdown, while Ukraine says a Russian drone hit pipeline equipment in western Ukraine.
• Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused Ukraine of endangering European energy security, as Kyiv says repairs to the damaged section are still pending.
• The European Commission has urged faster repairs, while Hungary this week kept vetoes on new EU sanctions on Russia and an EU loan to Ukraine ahead of the April 12 election.