Kazakhstan could suffer losses of at least $1.5 bn following an attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), according to Olzhas Baydildinov in an interview with RITV. He compared the figure to the annual budgets of the country’s largest cities, Astana or Almaty.
Baydildinov stressed that there is no military necessity for the attack, noting that CPC exports oil to Europe, handling over six mln tonnes monthly, 90% of which originates from Kazakhstan. He emphasised the distinction that it is oil from Kazakhstan, not Kazakhstani oil per se.
The Ministry of Energy reported that on November 29, maritime drones struck the CPC terminal, causing significant damage to equipment. The ministry condemned the attack on a civilian facility, citing risks to global energy security. The Kazakh government has activated plans to redirect oil through alternative routes.
Ukraine responded to Kazakhstan’s protest, stating its actions fall under the right to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and were not aimed at Kazakhstan. Ukrainian officials also criticised Astana for not responding to strikes on civilians in Ukraine and urged it to help pressure Russia to end the conflict.
The attack damaged the offloading facility at VPU-2, halting operations and forcing tankers out of the area. No casualties or oil spills were reported. Experts estimate Kazakhstan’s losses from the CPC shutdown at a minimum of $1.5 bn, roughly equal to the yearly budgets of Astana or Almaty.
