Schwedt, Dependent On Russian Oil, Faces Uncertain Future

SCHWEDT, GERMANY - MAY 10: A valve stands silhouetted at the Mineralölverbundleitung GmbH Schwedt (MVL) crude oil storage and pumping facility on May 10, 2022 near Schwedt, Germany. The facility is the German reception point for Russian crude oil arriving via the Druzhba pipeline and pumps the oil to two refineries in eastern Germany, including the nearby PCK refinery, which is majority owned by Russian energy company Rosneft. The German government, in order to punish Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine, has vowed to bring Russian oil imports down to zero, which would spell economic disaster for Schwedt, where 2,000 jobs depend on the refinery. German Economy and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck visited the refinery yesterday and spoke to workers, during which he vowed to seek a solution that will keep the refinery running. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)