Kazakhstan is negotiating with Ukraine regarding its attacks on Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) facilities, Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov stated, Kursuv.kz reports.
Since March 18, Ukraine had pledged not to strike CPC infrastructure, which transports about 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports. However, this agreement has been violated.
"We are in contact with the Ukrainian side. Negotiations on this issue are ongoing," Kuantyrov told journalists in the Kazakh Parliament.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, on the night of March 24, a Ukrainian drone attempted to attack the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station of the CPC in the Krasnodar region. The drone was shot down by air defense systems seven kilometers from the facility.
This is not the first attack on Kropotkinskaya station. On February 17, seven drones targeted the facility, causing damage and taking it out of operation. Repair and restoration work is still underway.
On March 19, three drones attacked the Kavkazskaya oil pumping station, also in the Krasnodar region. This station handled 130,000 tons of oil per month through the pipeline system, with 1.51 million tons transported in 2024.
"After the shutdown of Kropotkinskaya station due to Ukrainian drone strikes, the expected annual transportation volume from this facility was reduced. Following the destruction of Kavkazskaya station, operations there will be impossible in the foreseeable future. Currently, CPC is continuing restoration work at Kropotkinskaya," the CPC press service reported.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium has stated that Ukrainian attacks are negatively affecting CPC’s financial performance and harming its shareholders, which include companies from Kazakhstan and the United States.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
March 26, 2025