Slovnaft

Oil shipments from Russia through a critical pipeline to Czechia resumed on Aug. 12 after more than a week, the Czech pipeline operator Mero said.

Czechia became the last central European country after Slovakia and Hungary to receive deliveries from the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline after a problem over payments for transit was resolved.

Citing heavy dependence, those countries in June secured an exemption from the EU's Russian oil embargo - due to kick in at the end of the year - for imports delivered by the Druzhba pipeline. The route carries around 250,000 barrels per day to the region. Slovakia imports over 95 per cent of its oil through Druzhba, and sends processed fuels on to its neighbours.

Russia's Lukoil has announced it is selling its filling station networks in Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

"The decision to sell the assets was taken as part of the effort to optimize Lukoil's business in petroleum product marketing," the company said in a statement.