One of Russia’s major oil terminals halted operations on Saturday following an attack involving sea drones, coinciding with ongoing diplomatic efforts by Ukrainian negotiators traveling to the United States to discuss potential resolutions to the ongoing conflict. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which is partly owned by significant U.S. oil corporations including Chevron and ExxonMobil, referred to the drone strike as a “terrorist attack.”
As Ukraine refrained from commenting on the incident, it continues to seek ways to retaliate against Russia amidst the conflict that is now entering its fourth year. This attack occurred shortly after Moscow’s forces unleashed a barrage of drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian cities, resulting in three fatalities and damage to numerous buildings in the capital, Kyiv, according to reports from Ukrainian officials.
In a statement shared via Telegram, the CPC detailed that the unmanned boats launched an attack at 4:06 am Moscow time (01:06 GMT) on a critical component of their operations, Mooring Point 2 (SMP-2), which suffered significant damage. They indicated that the facility would not be operational until the threat posed by drones is addressed, and cargo loading would resume under established regulations thereafter.
The CPC pipeline plays a vital role in transporting Kazakh oil and is one of the largest in the world, managing about one percent of global oil supplies as it connects Kazakhstan to the terminal.
Amidst this tension, the United States has outlined a plan aimed at resolving the conflict, seeking cooperation from both Moscow and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a delegation was en route to the U.S. to discuss the proposal, although the timing poses substantial challenges for his administration. As Russia has made strides along the front lines for over a year, Zelensky’s government is also grappling with intensified scrutiny stemming from a significant corruption investigation that recently led to the dismissal of his chief of staff.
In Kyiv, local journalists reported a night filled with intense explosions that left residents on edge. After the attacks, many witnessed the aftermath, including charred buildings and burned vehicles. The strikes left over 600,000 people without electricity across Ukraine, with half of that number located in the capital.
While Russia insists it targets military infrastructure, Ukraine maintains that the aerial assaults are part of a broader strategy to demoralize its civilian population. President Zelensky noted, “The main targets of the attack were energy infrastructure and civilian facilities, with extensive damage and fires in residential buildings,” confirming reports of injuries and fatalities.
In the capital, residents recounted harrowing experiences during the strikes. A media worker described debris from the explosions landing perilously close to her bed, while another resident detailed how the blasts incinerated her car.
On a more offensive note, a Ukrainian source reportedly took responsibility for attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea suspected of transporting sanctioned Russian oil. These vessels, identified as the Virat and the Kairos, were reportedly targeted off Turkey’s coastline late Friday, with one vessel suffering repeated strikes early Saturday. Ukrainian sources claimed that modernized naval drones effectively executed these operations, sharing video evidence purportedly documenting the attacks.
The conflict, initiated by Russia’s full-scale offensive in February 2022, is now recognized as the largest and deadliest war on European soil since World War II. Kyiv, alongside its European allies, categorizes the invasion as an unprovoked act of aggression resulting in immense human suffering, with tens of thousands of lives lost and millions displaced from their homes.
