Russian oil transit via Ukraine fell to new low in 2025

Ukraine transported about 9.73 million tonnes of Russian oil in 2025 via the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

Source: data released by ExPro, a Ukrainian market intelligence and analytics provider

Details: ExPro reported that this was 14% less than in 2024, when transit totalled 11.36 million tonnes.

The analysts said the figure was the lowest since at least 2014 and likely the smallest since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

They attributed the fall to two main factors. First, Czechia stopped buying Russian oil in early March 2025, bringing transit to the country to a stop. Deliveries via Druzhba amounted to 0.52 million tonnes in 2025, about five times lower than the 2.7 million tonnes recorded in 2024. Second, Russian transit volumes fluctuated throughout the year, with some months dropping to the lowest levels in a decade.

Quote: "For example, in August 2025, transit amounted to only 430,000 tonnes. Ukraine carried out attacks on oil pumping stations on Russian territory, which affected crude oil transportation volumes from Russia to Europe."

More details: Slovakia was the biggest recipient of Russian oil in 2025, receiving almost 4.9 million tonnes, up 24% from 2024. A total of 4.35 million tonnes were transported to Hungary, down 8% from a year earlier.

Russian oil continues to transit through Ukraine in 2026. Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said there are no plans to end the flow before the current contract expires in late 2029.

Background: On 27 January, Russian forces struck an infrastructure facility in the town of Brody in Lviv Oblast. The site is connected to the Druzhba oil pipeline, which remains operational and transports Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.

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