A Ukrainian drone strike on a pumping station of a pipeline in southern Russia, which transports oil from Kazakhstan’s major oilfields, has dealt a blow to U.S. companies, the oil market, and U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s powerful Security Council.
On Monday, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which operates the pipeline from Kazakhstan’s Caspian coast to Russia’s Novorossiysk port on the Black Sea, reported that one of its pumping stations had been attacked by drones. This pipeline is a key route for most of Kazakhstan’s oil exports.
Following the attack, the Kropotkinskaya pumping station was shut down, and crude transportation through the Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline is now running at reduced capacity. The CPC confirmed that the flow is being redirected to avoid the damaged station.
The Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline carries over two-thirds of Kazakhstan’s oil exports, as well as crude from Russian oil fields. U.S. oil giant Chevron has recently begun production at an expansion project at the Tengiz field, which is the largest in Kazakhstan. This expansion is expected to increase output by 260,000 barrels per day.
Chevron holds a 15% stake in the CPC consortium, alongside Russia’s 24% share and other companies, including Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, an ExxonMobil affiliate.
Kazakhstan’s oil exports via Russian infrastructure, which pass through Russian territory, are exempt from Western sanctions on Russia’s oil sector.
The day after the drone attack, Medvedev criticized Ukraine and its leadership in a Telegram post, claiming the strike on the CPC could disrupt oil flows, destabilize the market, raise oil prices, and cause direct harm to U.S. companies.
The attack occurred just one day before U.S. and Russian officials were set to meet in Saudi Arabia to begin talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, with Ukraine not participating in the discussions.
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