Astana, Nov 29 (EFE).- The Kazakh Energy Ministry announced Saturday that it will look for alternative export routes following the attack by Ukraine on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (KTK) maritime terminal, through which Kazakhstan exports most of its oil to Europe via the Caspian Sea.
“To minimize the negative consequences and maintain the pace of extraction at important fields, the ministry activated an emergency plan to redirect oil exports to alternative routes,” the ministry said in a statement.
Moreover, it said that “the situation is under the special control of the Kazakh government.”
It stressed that “such actions against strictly civilian critical infrastructure targets are unacceptable.”
In addition, it said that KTK is a multinational energy project and attacks on its facilities “pose direct risks to global energy security.”
Ukraine destroyed a cargo terminal at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (KTK) maritime terminal on Friday night, the company reported.
“Today at 4:06 a.m. Moscow time (1:05 a.m. GMT), as a result of a deliberate terrorist attack by nautical drones in the area of the KTK marine terminal, the VPU-2 terminal suffered considerable damage,” the company said on Telegram, adding that the facility cannot be repaired.
The company said that “at the time of the explosion, the failure protection systems ensured the closure of the relevant pipelines. Preliminary reports indicate that there was no spill into the Black Sea.”
However, authorities are taking seawater samples in the area and monitoring the environmental situation, the consortium said.
The remaining terminals at the plant are to resume operations “when there is no threat of attacks by naval or aerial drones,” KTK added.
This is the third attack on the company after strikes on the Kropotkinskaya pumping station and KTK’s offices in Novorossiysk.
In 2024, the pipeline transported more than 63 million tons of oil, most of it destined for Europe.
Ukrainian drones have been striking energy facilities in Russia for months, from refineries to oil pipelines, gas pipelines, and fuel depots. EFE