Druzhba Pipeline Incident May Damage Russian Economy Growth- Accounts Chamber Chairman

ST. PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2019) Russian Accounts Chamber Chairman Alexei Kudrin said on Thursday that the Russian economy growth could be affected by the incident with contaminated Russian oil getting into the Druzhba pipeline, since the incident was already damaging Russian oil export.

"I do not rule out that this can result in worsening of [economical] results in this quarter of the year. It already influences export," Kudrin told reporters on the sidelines of St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), when asked if pipeline standstill could damage the growth of the Russian economy.

In April, chlorides-contaminated Russian oil got into the Druzhba pipeline, through which Russian oil is exported to Europe via Belarus. Four people have been detained in Russia in connection with investigation into the incident. Transit of uncontaminated Russian oil to Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary has already been restored. The Druzhba's leg extending to Poland is expected to be cleared from contaminated oil by June 10.

SPIEF began on Thursday and will last through Saturday. Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency is an official media partner of the forum.