Hungary under attack for working on peace summit? Fires hit refineries processing Russian oil
An explosion occurred at noon on October 20 at the Petrotel-Lukoil refinery in Ploiesti, southern Romania. The facility, owned by a subsidiary of Lukoil, one of Russia’s largest private oil and gas companies, has been offline since October 17 due to a planned technical inspection, according to Hungarian newspaper Vilaggazdasag.
The 57-year-old worker, who was seriously injured in his head and leg, was taken to intensive care.
Also read: How can Putin participate in Hungarian peace talks with Trump without being shot or detained?
Considering Ukraine’s recent attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, local authorities do not rule out the possibility that the incident was a deliberate act. However, according to Vilaggazdasag, other possible causes such as human error or technical malfunction are also being evaluated.
Fire at Danube facility in Hungarian refinery
According to Hungarian media outlet Telex, an explosion occurred at the largest oil refinery in Szazhalombatta, Hungary, which receives crude oil from Russia.
The Danube Refinery, located 27 kilometers (about 17 miles) from Budapest and owned by the Hungarian oil company MOL, caught fire on the evening of October 20 following an explosion. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control on the morning of October 21.
No injuries or deaths were reported.
The exact cause of the incident is being investigated. The Szazhalombatta plant, considered the most advanced facility in Hungary’s oil refining industry, may now face temporary closure.
The refinery supplies crude oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline.
Russian envoy questions timing ahead of Putin-Trump meeting
Putin’s special envoy Dmitriev is questioning why Hungary’s largest refinery, which processes Russian oil, suddenly caught fire ahead of the upcoming Putin-Trump meeting, according to sources familiar with Russian government statements.
The explosions occurred as Budapest was preparing to host potential peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Hungarian officials are positioning the country as a mediator in efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Context: Russian oil and European energy resources
Russian oil remains an important source of revenue for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. Despite pressure from the European Union to completely stop purchasing energy from Russia, many member states continue to purchase supplies.
Hungary has maintained closer ties with Russia than most EU members; It continues to import oil and gas from Russia even as other countries reduce or eliminate such purchases.
Russia’s Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery also suspended operations on October 20 following a drone attack, according to Reuters. The Novokuibyshevsk refinery, located in the Volga Oblast, is part of Rosneft’s Samara refineries group, which includes the Kuibyshevsk and Syzran facilities.
Ukraine remains silent on refinery incidents
He did not comment on the explosions at oil refineries in Ukraine, Romania and Hungary or the drone attack on the Novokuibyshevsk facility.
The events raise questions about whether countries processing Russian oil will face increasing risks as the conflict continues. However, authorities have not confirmed any deliberate targeting due to ongoing investigations at facilities in both Romania and Hungary.
