The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), whose shareholders include Russia, Kazakhstan, and the US, announced last weekend that operations were halted. This followed significant damage to a Russian oil export port on the Black Sea due to a Ukrainian naval drone attack.

On 30/11, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Ukraine's strike on the Russian oil port. The ministry stated that the attack targeted an "independent civilian facility operating under international law."

"Kazakhstan objects to any further deliberate attacks on the critical infrastructure of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in the waters of Novorossiysk port," Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.

The Novorossiysk oil and gas facility at Russia's Novorossiysk port on the Black Sea coast. *Photo: Reuters*

Kazakhstan further stated that it considers Ukraine's actions "damaging to bilateral relations." The country expressed hope that Kyiv would implement measures to prevent similar incidents.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated its strikes do not target Kazakhstan or third parties. Instead, they are solely aimed at repelling attacks from Russia.

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Ukraine's attacks on oil facilities "acts of terrorism." Russian officials also accused European powers of participating in the war against Moscow. This participation includes providing intelligence support to Ukraine for targeting infrastructure deep within Russian territory.

Recently, Russia and Ukraine have frequently targeted each other's energy infrastructure. Both sides accuse the opposing party of attacking civilian facilities, while claiming to only target military objectives or those serving the other's defense operations.