Kazakhstan has halted crude oil transfers through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal at Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a series of attacks targeting the facility and associated tanker vessels. The suspension comes as tanker companies express reluctance to transport cargo through the route due to security concerns related to ongoing drone strikes in the region.
The CPC terminal confirmed that oil loading operations have been suspended following attacks on tankers including the Asia and Nissos IOS. The Asia tanker caught fire after being struck but was extinguished by emergency crews, and all crew members were safely evacuated with no injuries reported. The CPC stated that no oil spill occurred during the incidents. The halt is expected to impact approximately 1.6 million barrels per day of Kazakhstan’s total exports of 2.1 million barrels per day.
The pipeline, which spans over 930 miles and connects oil fields in western Kazakhstan and Russian offshore Caspian Sea operations to the Novorossiysk terminal, serves as a critical export route for Kazakh crude. Russian officials attributed the attacks to Ukrainian drone operations, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stating that the attacks represent an effort to destabilize global oil markets. The Kremlin characterized the incident as targeting civilian infrastructure.
Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry expressed strong opposition to the attacks and stated its intention to pursue all available legal remedies under international law to seek compensation for damages. This represents the latest in a series of incidents targeting the CPC infrastructure, including an earlier attack in November 2025 that temporarily took the pipeline offline. Broader context suggests that Ukrainian drone operations against Russian energy facilities have contributed to declining Russian oil refining output, which has reached levels not seen in more than two decades.