Drone Crash Sparks Concerns Over Security of Kazakh Oil Transport at Russian Port

Earlier on Tuesday, a drone collided with an oil tanker chartered by Kazakhstan while it was heading to a Russian port on the Black Sea, resulting in an explosion but no significant damage, according to Kazakhstan’s state energy company, Kazmunaygas.

Kazmunaygas did not disclose the party responsible for the incident.

Ukraine, which has been conducting a prolonged campaign of attacks against Russia’s energy infrastructure in response to Moscow’s invasion, has not provided an immediate response.

The tanker, called Matilda, was on its way to load Kazakh oil at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal located on Russia’s southern Black Sea coast at the time of the incident, as stated by Kazmunaygas.

«There were no injuries reported among the crew. Initial assessments indicate that the vessel is still seaworthy, with no evident serious structural damage,» the company added.

Russian state media reported that Ukraine also targeted at least one other vessel in the Black Sea earlier Tuesday, which similarly remains fit for sea travel.

Throughout the nearly four-year conflict, Ukraine has repeatedly attacked the CPC terminal, including a naval drone strike last November that caused damage to one of its three berthing points.

The Ukrainian military argues that such strikes are essential to undermine the energy revenues that Moscow relies on to finance the war and represent a legitimate retaliatory action against Russia’s missile and drone assaults.

However, these attacks have caused concern for Kazakhstan, which relies on the CPC terminal for approximately 80% of its oil transport.

Russia has been conducting nightly drone and missile assaults across Ukraine, frequently hitting residential buildings, offices, and other civilian targets. These strikes have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians over the past four years.

Additionally, Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has faced severe assaults, leading to widespread disruptions in heating and electricity for millions of people.