President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Western co-owners of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) should cover repairs to the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station in southern Russia, damaged by a Ukrainian drone strike on Monday. The facility is partially owned by US and EU companies, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, reads an RT report.
During a government meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak informed Putin that at least seven drones had struck the station, damaging critical components. Operators had to switch to a backup system, cutting capacity by 30-40%. Full restoration would require "major repairs," Novak said, noting that the facility relies on Western-made equipment, including parts from Germany’s Siemens, which has previously refused to supply components for Russian gas pipelines due to sanctions.
Putin insisted that Western stakeholders should arrange for the necessary equipment despite sanctions, as restoring the facility would be in their "own interest." He also pledged Moscow’s cooperation in the process.
Located in Russia’s Krasnodar Region, 230 kilometers from Novorossiysk, the pumping station is part of a pipeline transporting Kazakh and Russian oil. In 2024, US companies controlled about 40% of the oil shipped through it.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the strike an attack on US companies, the global oil market, and Donald Trump’s policy agenda. Novak suggested it was Kyiv’s response to Washington’s push for dialogue with Moscow.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
