Ukraine strikes major oil terminal in southern Russia
Ukraine Strikes Key Russian Oil Hub as Both Sides Trade Blame Over Energy Attacks
Russia vs Ukrain – (Web Desk) – Ukrainian drones hit a major oil terminal in southern Russia early Monday morning. The target was the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s marine terminal. One mooring point was damaged and four oil storage tanks caught fire.
This pipeline is a big deal. It carries about one percent of the world’s total oil supply. It also moves around 80 percent of all the oil Kazakhstan exports.
The Ukrainian army confirmed the attack but gave a slightly different story. They said they targeted a terminal in the port of Novorossiysk. They did not mention the Caspian Pipeline Consortium by name.
Russia’s defence ministry was quick to respond. They said Ukraine “deliberately attacked” the CPC facility. They also blamed Ukraine for trying to shake up global oil markets and cut off oil supplies to European countries.
The CPC company has not said anything yet.
One thing worth noting is that Russia did not share any photos or video to back up their account of the damage.
The Ukrainian army said it had struck the Sheskharis oil terminal, a key Russian oil hub in the port of Novorossiysk — near where the CPC is located — but did not mention the CPC itself.
“Direct hits on the target and a large-scale fire on the territory of the terminal were recorded,” it said on Telegram.
Ukraine has targeted the CPC multiple times throughout the four-year war, including a naval drone strike last November that led to a temporary halt in the terminal’s operations.
Among the CPC’s shareholders are US oil majors Chevron and ExxonMobil.
The United States told Ukraine to stop targeting American interests at the port following those attacks last year, according to US media reports.
The attacks have also drawn frustration from Kazakhstan, which transports the bulk of its oil exports through the CPC.
The Ukrainian military says the strikes help drain the energy revenues Moscow uses to fund the war and are a justified response to Russia’s missile and drone attacks.
Ukraine recently conveyed a proposal for a ceasefire on striking energy targets to Russia via the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Monday.
“If Russia is ready to stop striking our energy sector, we will be ready to respond in kind,” he said.
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