The Hungarian oil company Mol, which has long faced criticism for its dependence on Russian energy resources, is considering the use of the Ukrainian pipeline ‘Odesa – Brody’ as a key step towards diversifying its oil supply sources. Through this pipeline, the company will be able to obtain oil from various countries around the world, significantly reducing the influence of the Russian Federation on Hungary’s energy sector.
This is reported by Business • Media
Ukrainian Infrastructure as an Alternative to Russian Supplies
The ‘Odesa – Brody’ pipeline has a capacity of 14.5 million tons per year and connects the Ukrainian Black Sea port with the southern branch of the ‘Druzhba’ pipeline near the Ukrainian-Polish border. Thanks to this location, oil flows can be directed straight to Hungary, opening new opportunities for importing raw materials by sea from leading global producers.
The Hungarian oil company Mol, criticized for maintaining a strong dependence on Russian energy resources, considers the Ukrainian pipeline ‘Odesa – Brody’ to be the best option for diversifying supplies.
However, implementing this plan comes with certain challenges. Due to frequent Russian missile strikes on Odesa and the prolonged suspension of the pipeline for integration, significant investments are needed to restore and modernize the infrastructure. Currently, Mol relies on oil supplies through the Adriatic Sea, which remains the only alternative to Russian exports for the country.
Reduction of Oil Exports from the Russian Federation
At the same time, the Russian Federation is experiencing a reduction in oil export volumes by sea to the lowest level since February 2025. Over the past four weeks, as of July 6, the average daily volume of maritime oil shipments has fallen to 3.12 million barrels, which is 3% less compared to the previous period. This trend is linked to an increase in oil refining volumes at Russian refineries: the refining volume has risen by 140,000 barrels per day, while production has only increased by 60,000 barrels per day.
These changes in the oil market could significantly impact the energy security of Central Europe, pushing countries to seek new logistical solutions and reduce energy dependence on the Russian Federation.