Drone strike on Russian pump station disrupts oil flow to Kazakhstan
A drone strike targeting the Kropotkinskaya oil pump station in Russia's Krasnodar region could trim the flow of Kazakh oil by up to 30%, according to Transneft statement. Experts fear the station's recovery will take between 1.5 to 2 months.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) revealed details about the assault, stating that the station was struck by seven drones packed with explosives and shrapnel. The attack has rendered Kropotkinskaya non-operational, shifting oil transport through the key Tengiz-Novorossiysk route to reduced capacity, bypassing the compromised station.
Transneft outlined the extensive damage: the roof has been wrecked, central distribution units are in tatters, a gas turbine is severely impaired, cables are severed, and transformers and the fire suppression system are amongst other critical damages inflicted.
Situated in the Caucasus district, Kropotkinskaya stands as CPC's largest station within Russia. The Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline, a vital artery stretching 1,511 km, transports over two-thirds of Kazakhstan's export oil, intertwined with Russian resources including those from the Caspian region. Drone attacks on oil infrastructure in Russia have surged since the onset of 2024, sparking significant damage to processing capabilities and logistical chains.
Refineries across Krasnodar, Volgograd, and Rostov, alongside numerous sectors, have fallen victim to these aerial onslaughts, according to experts, decreasing refinery outputs and spiking export risks. Specifically, refinery damages lead to fuel production disruptions, impacting domestic markets and fuel supplies directed to military fronts.