Russia To Determine Druzhba Incident Compensation To Mink In Late 2019 - Senior Official

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st June, 2019) Compensation to Belarus for the contaminated oil incident with the Druzhba pipeline, which delivers Russian oil to Eastern Europe through Belarus and Ukraine, will be determined at the end of 2019, First Deputy Chief of the Government Staff Sergei Prikhodko said.

"The actual compensation will be determined at the end of 2019, taking into account the actual deliveries of oil to Belarus and its transit through the Belarusian territory," Prikhodko told reporters.

The delivery of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline was temporarily halted in late April after it was discovered that the fuel was contaminated with organic chloride.

The deliveries through the pipeline were later partly resumed.

The source of the contamination was located in the Russian section of the pipeline, and Transneft operator promised to compensate for the losses inflicted by the incident.

According to preliminary results of the investigation, the contaminated oil was poured into the pipeline by a group of individuals who wanted to cover up their theft of pure oil.�