Le Figaro: Two refineries with Russian ties, one in Hungary and the other in Romania, were affected by almost simultaneous explosions.

On October 20, two European refineries, one in Százhalombatta, Hungary, and the other in Ploiești, Petrotel-Lukoil in Romania, suffered almost simultaneous explosions, raising questions about their causes. The refinery in Hungary was affected in the evening, and the fire was quickly extinguished, with no casualties. In contrast, the explosion at Petrotel-Lukoil seriously injured a worker.

Both refineries have ties to Russia, with Százhalombatta being the only refinery in Hungary that processes Russian oil, while Petrotel-Lukoil is a subsidiary of the Lukoil group. Authorities' investigations do not rule out the hypothesis of a deliberate act, human error, or technical problem. These incidents occurred after a European agreement to ban imports of Russian gas until 2028, in the context of Hungary and Slovakia continuing to import energy from Russia.