Kazakhstan condemns drone attack on Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal

Kazakhstan has strongly condemned a drone attack targeting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in the Russian port of Novorossiysk. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also referenced a separate attack on Friday, labeling the violation of Kazakhstan's economic interests as "inadmissible."

The ministry denounced attempts to destabilize international trade and energy markets. It urged all CPC partner countries to unequivocally condemn the attacks and demanded their immediate cessation. Furthermore, Kazakhstan called for measures to ensure the security of infrastructure crucial for exporting Kazakh hydrocarbons. The statement implicitly referenced the war in Ukraine, emphasizing that peaceful conflict resolution is the only alternative and reaffirming commitment to international law, freedom of navigation, and the reliable functioning of energy transport routes.

According to the CPC, the Sunday attack ignited a fire on the tanker ASIA, owned by Chevron. Emergency teams quickly extinguished the blaze. The consortium confirmed that neither the international crew of the ASIA nor the crew of another docked tanker, NISSOS IOS, were harmed. Importantly, no oil leaks or spills occurred in the sea. However, oil pumping operations for export were suspended until further notice due to security concerns.

The CPC described the incident as the "fifth act of direct aggression" against a civilian facility protected by international law. The pipeline plays a vital role in global energy security, transporting crude oil from three major Kazakh fields to the Black Sea for onward shipment to Western markets. Companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil, Eni, and Shell are involved in this transport chain.