Kazakhstan Urges Ukraine to Cease Attacks on CPC Oil Terminal After Export Suspension

Kazakhstan Urges Ukraine to Cease Attacks on CPC Oil Terminal After Export Suspension

On 30 November 2025, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) announced a temporary suspension of oil loading at its Black Sea terminal near Novorossiysk port, following a naval drone attack that caused “significant damage” to one of its key mooring points (SPM‑2).

In response, Kazakhstan strongly condemned the strike, calling it “an act against civilian critical infrastructure,” and urged Ukraine to immediately cease such attacks. The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the incident is harmful not only to bilateral relations but also to the stability of regional energy supply.

CPC — a joint venture involving Kazakh, Russian, and U.S. energy firms — transports a substantial portion of Kazakhstan’s crude oil, with much of it passing through this terminal before being loaded onto tankers.

The attack on 29 November disabled the floating buoy that connects tankers to the pipeline. CPC withdrew all tankers from the water area and paused loading operations until the mooring point is repaired. No oil spill was reported, and staff were unharmed.

Following the disruption, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy activated an emergency plan to reroute oil exports through alternative corridors, aiming to minimize supply disruption and financial losses.

Analysts note that repeated attacks on civilian energy infrastructure like the CPC terminal could threaten export flows and create uncertainty in energy markets, particularly for regions dependent on Black Sea and Caspian routes.

Ukraine has stated that such strikes aim to weaken Russia’s war economy by targeting its oil infrastructure. However, Kazakhstan and CPC partners maintain that attacks on civilian-use facilities in third-party countries violate international law.

Kazakhstan’s government has warned of possible diplomatic repercussions if Ukraine does not desist and called for respect of international energy infrastructure to ensure stability in supply.

CPC is currently assessing repair timelines for the damaged mooring point, while Kazakh oil producers and export partners closely monitor developments. The outcome of this crisis may influence regional energy security and global oil markets in the near term.