A Ukrainian drone strike has forced the shutdown of Russia’s largest oil pumping station, a key facility for exporting Kazakh oil to Europe and the United States, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) confirmed on Telegram on Monday, February 17.
The Kropotkinska oil pumping station, located in Russia’s Kuban region, was struck by seven explosive-laden drones. The attack inflicted severe damage and halted normal operations.
As a result, oil transport through the Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline system is now running at reduced capacity, bypassing the disabled facility.
A CPC management team, led by the CEO, has been dispatched to assess the extent of the damage and determine a timeline for restoration. The company confirmed that no injuries were reported among the station’s personnel.
Russia Faces Wave of Drone Attacks
This strike comes amid a wider wave of Ukrainian drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
On the night of February 17, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have intercepted 90 drones, including:
38 over the Sea of Azov
24 over the Krasnodar region
15 over annexed Crimea
7 over the Black Sea
2 over Kursk and Rostov each
Additionally, a Neptune-MD guided missile was reportedly shot down over the Sea of Azov.
Two days prior, on February 15, Ukrainian drones struck multiple Russian regions, including Volgograd, Kaluga, Saratov, and Tula, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation. Among the targets was the Volgograd oil refinery, one of Russia’s largest and most critical energy facilities.
The Kropotkinska station plays a key role in Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s oil export routes, particularly for shipments to Europe and the US. The CPC pipeline system is responsible for transporting about 80% of Kazakhstan’s crude oil exports, making it a high-value target for Ukrainian strikes.
