A halt in oil supplies by Russia to the Czech Republic on Tuesday via the Druzhba pipeline is due to payment issues between Czech refineries' Polish owner and Russian suppliers, the Czech industry minister was cited as saying.

The Czech oil refining company Orlen Unipetrol is starting to use the oil from state reserves promised to it by the Czech Cabinet of Ministers in connection with the termination of supplies via the Druzhba pipeline,

Russian oil supply to the Czech Republic via the Druzhba pipeline was cut short on Tuesday.

Payment issues linked to U.S. sanctions on Russia were behind the latest halt in oil supplies by Russia to the Czech Republic via the Druzhba pipeline, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjartosaid Tuesday that Russian oil supplies were temporarily suspended via the Druzhba oil pipeline, a key supply route for much of central Europe, following large-scale Ukrainian drone strikes overnight.

A Ukrainian drone attacked a Druzhba oil pipeline metering station on the night of 10-11 March, causing a temporary stop in oil supplies to Hungary. Source: Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó Quote from Szijjártó: "In fact,

Oil supplies to Slovakia via Russia's Druzhba pipeline have resumed and oil is expected to arrive to the country later on Wednesday, Slovak pipeline operator Transpetrol said.