Hungary has banned the commander of a Ukrainian military unit from entering the country and traveling through the entire Schengen Area, blaming him of posing “a national security risk” following recent attacks against the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto declared the entry ban on Thursday, describing the most recent strike as “an assault on Hungary’s sovereignty” and vowed not to let it go without consequences.
According to him, the latest strike was particularly serious, as it lasted so long that Hungary almost had to tap into its strategic reserves.
The banned Ukrainian commander’s name was Robert Brovdy, local online portal Mandiner reported, citing a statement from the immigration authority. The entry ban will be effective for three years.
Ukraine had launched three such attacks in recent weeks, targeting the Druzhba pipeline, all of which disrupted Hungary’s energy supply. Last week, Szijjarto confirmed the crude oil delivery suspension after the overnight attack at the Russian-Belarusian border, describing it as another attack against Hungary’s energy security and “an attempt to drag us into the war.”
Deliveries through the pipeline are scheduled to restart on Thursday in test mode.
In response to the attacks, Szijjarto said: “Ukraine knows perfectly well that attacks against the Druzhba pipeline harm not Russia, but primarily Hungary and Slovakia.” He called on Ukraine “not to attack the oil pipeline supplying Hungary in the future, and not to endanger the security of our energy supply.” Enditem
Source: Xinhua
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